
M 

akjb ' (& iff J 



T 



. 









■V.1*f ( 







BVcoSo 



Boofc 



J .:.^:__^_ 



PRESENTED BY 



^H 



ZJ 












■ ' 












■ 

I 

■■ 

■ 



I ; 



n%- 



I 






,jf; 



I 



■ 






■ 









H 



■ 



INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT 



THE DIVINELY APPOINTED CONSTITUTION OF THE CHURCHES OF 
OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST. 



BEING 



"CARSON'S EEASONS FOR SEPARATING FROM THE 
GENERAL SYNOD OF ULSTER. " 



ABRIDGED, 



WITH SCCH ALTERATIONS AND ADDITIONS AS ARE NECESSARY TO ADAPT IT TO 
THE GENERAL QUESTION OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT, AND THE DEVEL- 
OPMENT OP THE ORDER OF THE PRIMITIVE CHURCHES. 



BY 



G. M. S L A Y S M A N, 

MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL. 



"HEAR YE HIM/'— Matt. xvii. 5. 



PHILADELPHIA: 
S. A. GEORGE, STEREOTYPER AND PRINTER, 

No. 124 North Seventh Street. 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868, by 

G. M. SLAYSMAN, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, in and for the 

Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 






£;>/I3 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

Preface, 7 

INTRODUCTION.— A Brief View of existing 
Church Governments, . . . . .17 

CHAPTER I.— Reasons why we may expect to 
find some Form of Church Government in 
the New Testament, 21 

1. Influence of Government on character, . . .22 

2. Theories influence their advocates, . . . .22 

3. The general sense of professing Christians, . . 23 

4. Unanimity required, - 23 

5. How may unanimity be effected, . . . .24 

6. How enforce submission to Church rulers. . 25 

7. How avoid confusion, 26 

8. Importance of determining Church Government, . 27 

9. Legislation requires wisdom, 28 

10. A vital question, . 29 

11. Anti-Christ unavoidable, 29 

12. Every man's manhood must be recognised, . . 30 

CHAPTER II. — What is the nature of that 

FORM WE ARE WARRANTED TO EXPECT, . . 31 

1. The most practicable, 31 

2. That form which is capable of least abuse, . . 32 

3 



4 CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

3. That form which is sufficient, 34 

4. That form which does not need human expedients, 35 

5. That form which requires most knowledge of the 

Scriptures, 35 

6. That form which most constantly needs the Divine 

presence, 36 

7. That form which is most favorable to soul liberty, . 37 

8. That form which has fewest incitements to unhal- 

lowed ambition, 41 

9. That form whose hypotheses are uniform, . . 42 

10. That form which is best adapted to promote the 

welfare of its adherents, 43 

11. That form which most nearly resembles the simpli- 

city of other gospel institutions, . . . .47 



CHAPTER III.— The obligation of apostolic 

PRACTICE 

1. If there be an apostolic model why not follow it, 

2. General sense of professing Christians, . 

3. No part of the Scriptures useless, . 

4. The New Testament model the best, 

5. No danger in imitating the apostolic models, 

6. Consistency, 

7. Only a plan in model expected, 

8. Divine admonition to Moses, .... 

9. Presumptuous to depart from the New Testament 

models without divine authority, 

10. Some apostolic churches models to others, 

11. Apostolic models equal to the demands of every 

age, 



52 
52 
53 
53 
54 
54 
55 
55 
57 

57 
58 

60 



CONTENTS. 



pa tin 
CHAPTER IV. — What does the New Testament 

TEACH CONCERNING CHURCH GOVERNMENT, . 62 

1. Rule for settling private offences between breth- 

ren, 64 

2. Use and application of the word church, . . 65 

3. Election of an Apostle, 69 

4. Election of Deacons, 70 

5. The church scattered by persecution, . . .71 

6. The first Council at Jerusalem, . . . .73 

7. The discipline of the apostolic churches, . . 78 

8. Apostolic Hints, . 85 



CHAPTER V.— The Order of Lay-ruling El- 
ders in the Presbyterian churches, (Luthe- 
ran, etc.,) 88 

1. Church rulers not legislators, 90 

2. If rulers then they are the Pastors, . . . .91 

3. Can two orders so different as teaching and ruling 

Elders be called by the same name, . . .93 

4. Can their qualifications be included in the same de- 

scription, 94 

5. All Elders worthy of maintenance, . .96 

6. But one order of Elders, 97 



CHAPTER VI. — Objections answered. 

1. " Too many sects already, 7 ' 

2. u Danger of skepticism,' ' 

3. "Governing bodies preservative," . 

4. " Hierarchies have done much good," 



104 
104 
105 
107 
109 



6 



CONTENTS. 



PAGE 

CHAPTER VII. — Reasons why some are apt to 
conclude that there is no model of church 
Government in the New Testament. . . 112 

1. They do not look after it, 112 

2. Jewish model, 113 

3. Custom or habit of thought, 113 

4. A systematic plan expected, . . . - . 114 

5. Model given indirectly, 117 



CHAPTER VIII. — Uninspired description of the 
Apostolic Churches, . . . . . . 119 

1. Government Independent or Democratic, by John 

Lawrence Mosheim, D.D., 119 

2. Membership voluntary, by John Lawrence Mo- 

sheim, D.D., 126 

3. Membership Converted and Government Indepen- 

dent, by Win. Carpenter, M. A. , . . . 127 



CHAPTER IX.— The only universal brother- 
hood, . . . .... f . 131 



PREFACE. 



The author of this volume in its present form, has not 
attempted any thing new or original. Having read 
"Carson's Reasons for separating from the 
General Synod of Ulster," he has been profoundly 
impressed with their force. Though designed to enforce 
the Independent form of church government, as scriptu- 
ral, in opposition to the Presbyterian form, his argu- 
ments are equally applicable, and conclusive against 
every other National or Hierarchical system of church 
order. With this view he has abridged the work of Dr. 
Carson, leaving out that part of it which has a local 
bearing — referring to the Synod of Ulster and the Presby- 
terian Church in Ireland. He has endeavored to repro- 
duce the arguments of Dr. Carson, using his language 
when by so doing the issue would not be affected, adding 
such arguments and suggestions as the present state of the 
question seemed to demand. As some of the Hierar- 
chies are Presbyterian in their form of government, he 
has retained the chapter on Ruling or Lay Elders, set- 
ting out this peculiar branch of the subject more fully, 
by quotations from a leading minister and teacher of the 
Presbyterian Church, and more fully meeting the issue 
these quotations present. That these arguments might 
find some support outside of his own denomination, a 
chapter is added containing Mosheim's description of 
the apostolic churches, and another, found in the u Sup- 

7 



8 PREFACE. 

PLEMENT TO THE COMPREHENSIVE COMMENTARY," 

with the sanction of William Jenks, D.D : — the former 
from a Lutheran or Hierarchical, the latter from a Con- 
gregational or Independent stand-point. In compliance 
with the expressed wishes of beloved brethren, whose 
judgments he holds in high estimation, who asked its pub- 
lication, he has introduced as a closing chapter, a ser- 
mon entitled " the only Universal Brotherhood," 
rewritten and prepared, as a sequel to the arguments and 
history which precede it, and designed to give a descrip- 
tion of the apostolic churches in their essential charac- 
teristics, and also, a view of the peculiarities of the Bap- 
tist churches, as the only representatives of the apostolic 
models. 

There are valid objections against publishing Dr. Car- 
son's work, as it is, in this country ; much of it is local, 
and while its local references were justifiable when it was 
first published (1805), would not now be applicable even 
in Ireland. There are no Presbyterian Churches, Minis- 
ters, or Synods, now, as to moral character and integrity 
in what are termed fundamental doctrines, such as Dr. 
Carson describes ; and to publish a work at this time, 
chiefly against that denomination, with descriptions ap- 
plicable half a century ago, but not now applicable, would 
be manifestly unjust. The only justification of its pub- 
lication, entire, at the present time, would be to show 
the legitimate tendency of Infant Baptism, to produce 
just such a state of things as Carson describes, where 
there is no counteracting influence — as one of a series, to 
show that Infant Baptism is the prolific parent of evils 
whose name is legion. 

But it would be criminal to permit the weighty and 
solid arguments of Dr. Carson, directly applicable to 
church government, to remain thus longer in obscurity, 
and inaccessible to the people whose manhood is so com- 
pletely involved in the question. In the present state 



PREFACE. 9 

of church agitation, the great question at the bottom of 
all, is, the manhood of eveey Christian. Yea, 
both in church, and state, the great question of the age, 
is, the manhood of every man ; and every thing that 
will throw light upon it, and aid the people in reaching 
just conclusions in reference to their proper position in 
government, and especially in church government, it is 
their right to have, and the duty of those who are quali- 
fied, to give. 

The particular copy of the work used in the prepara- 
tion of this volume the author received from a son of 
one who had been a member of the church at Tuber more, 
Ireland. This son, now 7 nearly three-score and ten years 
old, was sprinkled in infancy by Dr. Carson, and, it is 
said, was the last infant he ever sprinkled.* The high 
esteem in which he was held by the family is indicated 
by the fact that this infant was named " Alexander 
Carson" — after their beloved Pastor. 

In the "Memoir of Dr. Carson," we are informed 
that a party of men, organized for the purpose, came 
into the meeting-house while he w r as preaching, and an- 
nounced their intention of thrusting him from the pul- 
pit : he requested them to wait till he had finished his 
discourse, assuring them that he would then voluntarily 
retire. "After the service was concluded, as he de- 
scended from the pulpit and was passing out, one of his 
deacons lifted the Bible from the desk, swung it upon 
his shoulders, and taking up his march in the rear of 
his pastor, exclaimed, 'Let all icho wish to follow the 
Bible, come this way.'* The father of the above-named 
infant, it is said, was that deacon, and very properly, 

* A common, but most absurd phraseology ; for it makes Dr. Car- 
son, or any other person in the same connection, to have scattered 
the infant in particles. Yet the author cannot conscientiously say 
baptized, and this is his apology for using a phraseology so unphilo- 
logical, though common and well understood. 



10 PREFACE. 

was that the last infant upon whom that great and good 
man sprinkled water in the name of the Holy Trinity. 
If the Bible was henceforth to be followed, both Dr. Car- 
son and Deacon James McCurdy must forever abandon 
a practice which is not to be found within its sacred 
pages. Deacon (afterwards Elder) McCurdy, subse- 
quently emigrated to Pennsylvania, and preached the 
gospel with considerable success in the lower end of 
Lancaster and York counties. Quite a number of be- 
lievers were baptized by him, in a pool of water col- 
lected in one of the slate quarries in which he labored. 
He died A.D. 1826. Six children survived him, three 
sons and three daughters, who, with their children, 
many of whom have reached maturity, are among the 
most respectable and influential families in the commu- 
nity in which they reside. *" 

In the same Memoir, page 30, there is an interesting 
incident illustrating the character of Dr. Carson's heroic 
wife. When her father, a wealthy linen bleacher, urged 
the poverty to which their course exposed them — as- 
sured them that their children would starve, and that 
he would never relieve them if they did not come back 
to the Presbyterian church — she replied : " Father, God 
feeds the young ravens when they cry unto him ; and I 
cannot believe that while we are striving to do his will, 
he will let the young Carsons suffer." Another inci- 
dent, communicated to the author by this family, illus- 
trating her firm adherence to principle, is worthy of 
permanent record. When Dr. Carson consulted her 
concerning the step he was about to take, and the sacri- 
fice it involved, her reply to him was, "Do not gag 
your mouth nor clog your conscience for mone}'.'- 

The deep-toned piety, strong faith, and firm adhe- 
rence to principle which characterized Carson, arc illus- 
trated by the closing sections of his work. In separating 
from the Presbyterian Church, there was no other body 



PREFACE. 11 

in that neighborhood with which he could unite. With 
his views of truth and duty, he must stand almost alone, 
with the greater part of the community against him. 
The objections urged against his course were, therefore, 
all the more forcible. It was said that by leaving the 
Synod "he would give up an important station, cow- 
ardly desert the field of battle, and in all probability 
deprive himself forever of an opportunity of preaching 
the gospel. That Paul had said, c Woe is me, if I preach 
not the gospel ;' and Christ, that ' The harvest is plen- 
teous, and the laborers few.' That it must, then, be 
highly improper to leave a ripe harvest without laborers 
to reap it." 

To this he answers : " What is the amount of this 
objection ? It is, 'to do evil that good may come. 5 If 
I have shown that such a connection is sinful, no sup- 
posed advantages resulting to religion from it should 
have the smallest weight, because they are nothing in 
reality. What good could I do in any situation on earth 
without God's blessing upon my labors ? And is it sup- 
posable that I am likely to have this blessing, when I 
refuse to obey him ? Before nry attention was turned to 
this subject, when my views were not so clear, God 
might have partially blessed my labors. But I could no 
longer look for a blessing, nor, with a good conscience, 
preach the gospel at all, while conscious that I was not 
complying with his will. 'I leave an important situa- 
tion.' What sort of language, in the mouth of a 
Christian, is that ? If I had an opportunity of preach- 
ing the gospel in every parish in the island, could I, of 
myself, call one sinner to repentance ? A station is 
only important as there may be the probability of doing 
good ; and I can see no probability of this, as long as 
we live in the wilful neglect, or breach of the least part 
of the known will of God. Ah ! friends, I am afraid if 
we search our hearts to the bottom, the real motive of 



12 PREFACE. 

remaining in corrupt churches, is rather the importance 
of it to our own temporal interests, than a concern lest 
the work of the Lord should stand undone. ' Sirs, ye 
know that by this craft we have our gain. ' But, ( I am 
running as a coward out of the field of battle. ' 3STo, I 
am only repairing to the standard of my captain, and 
deserting his enemies. I am only putting myself in a 
situation in which I can fight without restraint ; and 
whether I am to be an officer or a private, must be left 
to my general, who employs every man in the situation 
that suits him best, and in which he can render the 
most effectual service. But, ' Is it not a sin for me to 
put myself out of a condition to preach the gospel V> 
Yes, if I would give up preaching for the most splendid 
throne in Europe, I would be unworthy of opening my 
mouth to proclaim the glad tidings of salvation. If I 
would quit my station for the sake of a little more of 
the unrighteous mammon, I would be inexcusable. If I 
would quit preaching for fear of man, 'woe would be 
upon me. ' But if I quit a station by the command of 
my general, I am not to blame." 

" But ' the harvest is great, and the laborers are few.' 
True, very true ; and what is the consequence ? Is it, 
that I must transgress the orders of Christ to reap the 
harvest? Is there no way of obeying one command 
without breaking another ? Put the objection into 
words, and it will run thus : c O Lord, thou hast a great 
harvest, and few to rewp it. I am an active young la- 
borer, but I cannot serve thee unless thou allowest me to 
break one of thy commandments. It is but a little one, and 
it is much better for thee to give me this liberty, than to want 
my services, for thou canst not do well ivithout me. Thou 
must either take me on these terms, or thou must lose thy 
grain /> Were I to reason and act thus, the Lord of the 
harvest could soon lay me aside, and let me see he could 
have the work done without me. It is for us to do what 



PREFACE. 13 

is duty, and leave events to God. If he has any work 
to do at present in Ireland, I am sure I am taking the 
way to do it. If he has work to do, who is he most 
likely to employ as his instruments ? Will he let me 
stand idle in the market-place, and employ others to 
serve him, whose sole object is to serve themselves ? If 
it be my supreme delight to win souls to Christ, I do not 
think I shall be disappointed. If it be in any measure 
my meat and drink to do his will, it is not likely he will 
refuse to give me employment. 'And whatever we ask, 
we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, 
and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. ■ ' He 
that loveth me, keepeth my commandments.' 'Follow 
me, and I will make you fishers of men. 3 ' Ye are my 
friends if ye do whatsoever I command you. ' 'And why 
call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I 
say?"' 

"Xo argument," he continues, tC has been more fre- 
quently used to reconcile me to the Synod, than 'the 
duty I owe my family. ' ' He that provideth not for his 
own, especially for those of his own household, hath 
denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. ' I ac- 
knowledge the obligation of this scripture, in its fullest 
extent. But am I obliged to neglect one duty by attend- 
ing to another ? I am to provide for my family ; 
but, will -any say, I am to rob and murder to support 
them ? I am to provide, but it is things that are lawful. 
I am not to support them at the expense of a good con- 
science. If I cannot trust my family upon G-od, how 
will I trust him with my soul ? He has not only said, 
'He that provideth not, etc.,' but he has also said, 
' Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteous- 
ness, and all these things shall be added unto you. ' I 
must either renounce the sixth chapter of Matthew, or 
I must do my duty, and trust myself and family to him 

who feeds the fowls of the air, and clothes the lilies of 

2 



14 PREFACE. 

the field. He that feeds his enemies, will not suffer his 
friends to starve. x With what conscience could I press 
others to trust in Providence, when I distrusted him 
myself? When I read the history of Aristides, the 
Athenian, and many other Pagan sages, who scorned 
riches for earthly fame, I am ashamed that the glories 
of heaven, and the love of Jesus, should have a slighter 
impression on me. Cyrus was fed on brown bread and 
cresses, to fit him for a consummate general ; and shall 
I think it a grievance, to submit to that discipline, to 
enable me more successfully to fight the battles of my 
Lord ? I must ' endure hardness as a good soldier of 
Jesus Christ.' Perhaps there never was a general of 
distinction, wiio has not undergone more hardships, 
fatigues, wants, and dangers, to procure temporal glory, 
than I have any prospect of in my more honorable war- 
fare. c Now they do it for a corruptible crown, but we 
for an incorruptible.' A few years hence, and all my 
wants and sorrows shall be no more. I will be where 
4 the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at 
rest. ' ' They that are wise shall shine as the brightness 
of the firmament, and they that turn many unto right- 
eousness, as the stars forever and ever. ' 

" ' And must I part with all I have, 
My dearest Lord, for thee? 
It is but right, since thou hast done 
Much more than this for me. 

e Yes, let it go : one look from thee, 
Will more than make amends 
For all the losses I sustain, 
Of honor, riches, friends. 

' Ten thousand worlds, ten thousand lives, 
How worthless they appear, 
Compared with thee, supremely good, 
Divinely bright and fair ! 



PREFACE. 15 

' Saviour of souls ! could I from thee 
A single smile obtain, 
Though destitute of all things else, 
I'd glory in my gain.' " 

May all who read this volume, possess the spirit illus- 
trated by the foregoing quotations. 

Gr. M. S. 

York, May 21, 1868. 



INTRODUCTION. 



A BRIEF VIEW OF EXISTING CHURCH GOVERNMENTS. 

Church Governments are divided into two 
classes: Hierarchical, and Independent. 

The Hierarchical, embraces the following bo- 
dies : — The Greek Church, The Koman Catholic 
Church, The Church of England, The Lutheran 
Church, The German Reformed Church, The 
Dutch Reformed Church, The Protestant Epis- 
copal Church, The Methodist Episcopal Church, 
The Methodist Protestant Church, The Presby- 
terian Church, The Moravian Church, The 
Evangelical Association, The Church of God, 
( Winebrennerians,) The United Brethern Church. 
Each of these bodies or churches, is itself a Hier- 
archy, and differs, in some respects, from all the 
others. The same general principle, distinguishes 
all of them : — The power or government is in the 
officers of the body; and is exercised by a 

Pope, a Patriarch, an Emperor, King, or Queen ; 

11 



18 INTRODUCTION. 

a General Council, Convention, Conference, or 
Synod ; a Classis, a Presbytery, a Conference, a 
Synod, or an Eldership ; in the local congregation 
— which is but a part of the whole body — by a 
Vestry, a Session, a Consistory, a Church Council, 
or a Quarterly Conference. 

The Independent, includes the Baptist, and the 
Congregational churches. The principle which 
distinguishes this class may be expressed as 
follows : — To the people, the membership, which 
constitute each local church, belongs all the 
power the Lord Jesus Christ has committed to 
his people, and is always limited to the par- 
ticular body with which they are connected. 
The Lord Jesus Christ is their only Head. "Head 
over all." The rights, duties and powers of 
each member, and of each local church, being in- 
alienable, they have no earthly ruler or head, no 
General Councils, Conventions, Assemblies, Con- 
ferences, Synods, or other Legislative, Judicial, or 
Executive bodies, to which their rights, duties, or 
powers are, or may be delegated. 

In observing the great difference between these 
two classes, and the peculiar, and sometimes im- 
portant, difference between the several Hierarchical 
bodies, we are ready to ask : Do all these churches 
find their peculiar forms of church government in 



INTRODUCTION. 19 

the New Testament ? Have they all, thus different 
and often antagonistic, the Divine Sanction ? Or, 
as some teach, is there no form of Church Govern- 
ment prescribed in the Scriptures ? Has the all- 
wise God left his people, his "ecclesia," without a 
government, allowing each body or people to 
make, or adopt such a form, as may accord with 
their notions of what is necessary or expedient ? 

The author, in common with those who hold 
the principles which distinguish the Independent 
churches, believes that the Lord Jesus Christ has 
prescribed a government for his churches, complete 
in all its parts ; and that the New Testament reveals 
what that government is ; that it is Independent, 
and not Hierarchical ; and to a patient examination 
of the evidence which sustains these propositions, 
he would invite the reader's prayerful and candid 
attention. 



CHAPTER I. 

REASONS WHY WE MAY EXPECT TO FIND SOME FORM OF 
CHURCH GOVERNMENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

We are not arrogantly to prescribe to God what 
he must reveal ; our conclusions upon what is 
proper to be revealed, must be determined by a 
candid inspection of the sacred volume itself. It 
is not uncommon for persons to decide in favor of 
a particular church, or doctrine, or duty, or Church 
Government, without an investigation of the Scrip- 
tures. When they open the sacred volume, it is 
not to carefully and candidly examine what it 
teaches, but expecting and determined to find 
therein their own favorite system. We are not 
warranted to conclude with certainty that there is 
a model of Church Government in the New Testa- 
ment, till we prove it from itself, yet there are 
reasons which render it probable* which, when 
considered, will animate us in our search, indue > 
us to collect the evidence, and prepare us to re- 
ceive with gratitude, the pattern the Scriptures 
afford, even though it may be scanty. It would 
seem that there is an evident necessity for scrip- 
tural direction on this subject. There are strong 
antecedent reasons to expect that the New Testa- 
ment will contain the model of the Apostolic 

churches for our direction. 

21 



22 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

1. INFLUENCE OF GOVERNMENT ON CHARACTER. 

Human manners are much affected by the differ- 
ences of civil governments. The genius of the 
constitution gives a turn to general manners and 
modes of thinking. Nations have their character- 
istic habits and modes of thought, which the 
philosopher can trace to this source. That the 
same influence is exerted by different forms of 
Church Government is unquestionable. This in- 
fluence may not be discernible in a comparison of 
two individual Christians trained under different 
systems of Church Government, but will be easily 
seen when the members under the different forms 
are compared in a mass. The government that is 
most spiritual will unavoidably communicate a 
tincture of its spirit to the mass of its subjects. 
Now if the form of Church Government be, in the 
smallest degree, influential of human conduct and 
character, it is not to be conceived that our Lord 
would leave it entirely to human discretion. 

2. THEORIES INFLUENCE THEIR ADVOCATES. 

The different theories which have been adopted 
on the subject of Church Government have materi- 
ally influenced the sentiments of their respective 
advocates, not only in the explanation of passages 
of Scripture immediately applicable, but also of 
many in which they are not under the influence of a 
party spirit. All scripture truths have a mutual 
connection, and it will often, inevitably, happen, 
that adopting a wrong theory on one point, will 
lead to other mistakes in the interpretation of the 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 23 

Scriptures, or hide from us the true analysis. If, 
therefore, a difference of opinion on this subject 
affects the explanation of other passages of Scrip- 
ture, there is, besides its own importance, an 
additional reason, why God should interpose for 
our direction. 

3. THE GENERAL SENSE OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS. 

The general sense of professing Christians in all 
ages, argues the necessity of scriptural direction on 
this point. This argument is used with success, in 
favor of revelation, and there is no reason why it 
should not have its full weight here. The mass of 
professing Christians have, in all ages, supposed 
that they have found, at least, the groundwork of 
their respective plans in the Scriptures (when was 
the divine right given up ?). Is not the same 
moral sense of the mass of professing Christians 
still satisfied that the groundwork of their respec- 
tive s} stems is in the sacred volume ? This, there- 
fore, is another reason why we may expect divine 
revelation to settle the questions at issue. 

4. UNANIMITY REQUIRED. 

Either unanimity on this point is not a duty, or 
the New Testament must afford us the means of 
effecting it. The prayer of Jesus (John xvii. 21- 
23) for the oneness of his disciples, sufficiently 
indicates the duty of unanimity in all things, 
among his people. We may say that perfect 
unanimity is not to be expected in this world. But 
this is not the fault of revelation, but of our re- 



24 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

maining corruptions and blindness. There can be 
nothing a duty that is not revealed. Our differ- 
ences in the minutest things of religion are owing 
to ourselves, and not to a want of Scripture direc- 
tion. We cannot reach this so plainly required 
unanimity, but by proposing self-evident truths, 
or the authority of God in revelation. That the 
form of Church Government does not belong to 
self-evident truths, is sufficiently evident from ex- 
perience ; it must, therefore, be a subject of reve- 
lation. But unanimity on this point is, consequen- 
tially, of more importance than on many others, of 
more intrinsic importance. On many other points, 
if Christians have differences of opinion, they 
have them to themselves ; on this, their differences 
affect each other. One must submit to be ruled by 
the opinion of his neighbor, by a Church Govern- 
ment he thinks Christ did not appoint, or his 
neighbor must submit to him ; or they must form 
different sects, which is evidently contrary to 
divine authority. To secure this unanimity, and 
prevent the evil effects of division, on a point in 
which our differences affect each other, we may 
reasonably expect divine direction. 

5. HOW MAY UNANIMITY BE EFFECTED ? 

Will there ever be a clay when all sects shall 
coalesce ? We cannot doubt this. Without it we 
cannot have that perfect harmony the Scriptures, 
with the general consent of professing Christians, 
give us reason to expect. Discrepancy on this 
point is too great to be consistent with the 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 25 

"increase of knowledge" of the "latter days/' 
But is this to be effected by a new revelation, or by 
a more plentiful effusion of the Spirit upon Chris- 
tians, and greater attention to the will of God as 
now revealed ? Is there any other way in which 
revelation can effect this union, but by giving us a 
model or direction on this point ? It is not sup- 
posable that the want of a model or direction on 
this point in the Scriptures, would be the means 
of uniting all Christians. For if there be no model 
or direction in the Scriptures, unanimity or uni- 
formity is .not a duty. This would be saying that 
the opinion, that union is not a duty, would effect 
union. Never would there be greater variety, than 
when this notion should prevail. To effect union 
on this supposition, it would seem necessary to 
enlarge the powers of the mind beyond what has 
ever appeared in man. The sublimest geniuses on 
earth have their differences of opinion on every 
thing but self-evident truths. But to effect union 
in this manner, is derogatory both to revelation 
and the office of the Hoty Spirit. There must, 
therefore, be a model and direction, and we may 
expect to find it in the New Testament. 

6. HOW ENFORCE OBEDIENCE TO CHURCH RULERS? 

There cannot be that prompt, cheerful, and duti- 
ful obedience to church rulers, if the model and 
laws of a church be not in the New Testament. If 
church rulers have discretionary power to enact or 
execute laws, they may abuse that power, and there- 
fore their decrees must be received with examina- 
3 



26 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

tion and caution. Thus, there will be a difference 
of opinion with regard to their propriety ; and, at 
all events, the conviction of the duty of obedience 
will be more slowly and circuitously obtained. 
This will gradually introduce either a spirit of dis- 
obedience, or of abject servility among church 
members. They will be led, either to slight the 
authority of church judicatories, or receive their 
dictates with slavish submission. They will be ei- 
ther the slaves or dupes of church rulers, receiving 
the decrees of ecclesiastical assemblies as the dic- 
tates of heaven : or they will make light of their 
authority, and despise it. Complete, unequivocal, 
cheerful, and conscientious obedience, is to be found 
only among those who dare not command without 
opening their commission, and appealing to the 
laws, to which they enforce obedience. Here, there 
is no room, either for disobedience, on the one 
hand, or slavish submission, on the other. Church 
members, when the model and laws of a church are 
in the New Testament, see clearly whether they are 
obeying God or man. Divine direction is therefore 
necessary. 

1. HOW AVOID CONFUSION? 

Either all forms of Church Government are alike 
calculated to promote edification, or, if one be better 
than another, that which is best will be so evident, 
that all Christians will readily agree in it, or the 
New Testament must afford us sufficient means to 
discover it ; otherwise it is deficient. No one will 
believe that all forms are alike calculated to pro- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 27 

mote edification, nor can any one believe the New 
Testament to be deficient. In the same times, in 
the same city, we find almost all varieties o£ Church 
Government, that have existed in times and coun- 
tries most remote. Now, if it be a matter of im- 
portance to adopt one form rather than another, 
and if the children of the same family, as well as 
the inhabitants of the same city, will differ in their 
views on this subject, it would appear to be a matter 
worthy of divine interference. If there be no 
divine model or direction, is not God to blame for 
all the variety of sects, occasioned by this differ- 
ence of sentiment ? If we are left to our own 
judgment and prudence, there can be no sin in 
using them : and a variety of sects is the unavoid- 
able consequence. We may expect, therefore, 
divine direction, in order to avoid difference and 
confusion. 

8. IMPORTANCE OF DETERMINING CHURCH 
GOVERNMENT. 

Whatever is left to human discretion in religion, 
is of such a nature, that there is no room for the 
weakest Christian to err, nor the least foundation to 
dispute ; nor would the smallest advantage have 
accrued to the people of God, by having those 
things determined, which are left undefined ; but, 
on the contrary, such a determination would have 
been attended with inconveniences. Such, for in- 
stance, are the times for meeting for public wor- 
ship on the Lord's day, the order of the services, 
etc. Who ever complained that these were not 



28 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

confined ? Would it have been of any advantage 
to Christians, that Christ had appointed certain 
hours for public worship ? Nay, would not this have 
been attended with many inconveniences ? But it is 
quite otherwise with Church Government. The de- 
termination of this would have been attended with 
no inconvenience, but with many important advan- 
tages. The leaving of it undetermined would give 
unavoidable occasion to dissension and schism, and 
thus, instead of being the author of order in the 
churches, God would be " the author of confusion." 
We may expect, therefore, to find a divine model 
in the New Testament. 

9. LEGISLATION REQUIRES WISDOM. 

Civil government and legislation require the 
highest exertion of human genius, and the greatest 
men who have written on the subject, are by no 
means agreed, even in theory, what is the form 
best calculated to promote the happiness of man- 
kind. Church Government is not less important or 
difficult than civil government. Yea, Church 
Government is as much more difficult as the gov- 
ernment of the mind is more difficult than that of 
the body, and as much more important, as spiritual 
is greater than temporal happiness. Is it, then, 
supposable, that our Lord would leave a matter of 
such importance to the discretion of man ? Be- 
sides, the disciples of Christ, upon whom this duty 
would devolve, are the unfittest imaginable for such 
business. They are generally the " weak things of 
this world." Moreover, it is evident that everv 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 29 

form of Church Government, which man might 
attempt to make, would be on the model of the 
most approved form of civil governments. A 
Christian, then, to be a legislator in a church, must 
have the qualifications of a civil legislator. But the 
great mass of Christians are destitute of these 
qualifications. They must, then, either yield to be 
led implicitly by the few learned among them, or 
be liable to great mistakes. Divine legislation is 
therefore necessary, and we may expect to find it 
in the New Testament. 

10. A VITAL QUESTION. 

There is not another question in religion, about 
which so much human blood has been shed, or on 
account of which the earth has been filled with so 
much confusion, as this very question : Does not 
this argue the necessity of a Divine model, that 
God may be vindicated, and the blame be wholly 
attachable to man ? 

11. ANTI-CHRIST UNAVOIDABLE. 

If no model be given, it would be impossible to 
prevent ambitious men from imposing on the sim- 
plicity of the multitude, and promoting schemes 
for their own aggrandizement, under the specious 
cover of zeal for religion. Such men as Diotrephes 
would always assume the pre-eminence. Anti- 
Christ would, on this supposition, have some 
apology. Nay, in such a case, some sort of Anti- 
Christ is unavoidable ; and it does not affect the 
question whether he is one man, or several hundred. 



30 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

Therefore, to leave the Christians of the first age 
without excuse, that men may be clearly chargeable 
•with the guilt of rearing and nurturing that monster, 
it was necessary that a Divine model should have 
been given, from which the smallest deviation was 
sinful. 

12. EVERY MAN'S MANHOOD MUST BE RECOGNIZED. 

There must be a Divine model of Church Gov- 
ernment in order that the manhood of every 
Christian be established and maintained. If one 
Christian submits to the government of another, 
without Divine command, he thereby surrenders 
his manhood. If one Christian is to be governed 
and ruled by another, there must be Divine direc- 
tion, showing who shall govern, and who shall 
submit. Recognizing the manhood of every man, 
who, without Divine authority, may assume the 
prerogative of governing in matters of religion ? 
If there be, therefore, a governing power among 
the people of God, it must be by Divine authority, 
and we may expect to find it in the New Testament. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 31 



CHAPTER II. 

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF THAT FORM WE ARE WAR- 
RANTED TO EXPECT? 

1. THE MOST PRACTICABLE. 

That form of Church. Government which is prac- 
ticable in all countries, ages, and circumstances, is 
more likely to be the New Testament model, 
than one that is not. Now there is no country, 
age, or circumstance, in which the Independent 
form is not practicable ; but to make the Hierarchi- 
cal practicable, there must be several congregations 
formed in a particular district. If there were but 
a single congregation in a nation, the Independent 
form would not be affected ; and if every individual 
of a nation were a Christian, it is equally adequate.* 
Some forms of the Hierarchical governments are 
better suited to one form of civil government, 
than others. The Independent is equally suited 
to all forms of civil government, and being prac- 

* Jesus recognizes but "two or three gathered together in his 
name," as a church having the Divine sanction. (Matt, xviii : 20.) 
In such a church the Hierarchical government is impossible, even in 
the lowest degree, as that of " ruling elders" of the Independent 
Presbyterian. There must be male members enough to form "a 
bench of ruling elders," and others beside, to make even this insig. 
nificant Hierarchy possible. A church so small can only be a 
Democracy, an Independent Democracy. 



32 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

ticable in all countries, ages, and circumstances, 
is most likely to be the New Testament model. 

2. THAT FORM WHICH IS CAPABLE OF LEAST ABUSE. 

That form of Church Government which is capa- 
ble of the least abuse is most likely to be Divine. 
This is unquestionably the Independent. If a 
single church on this plan degenerates, becomes 
erroneous or indifferent, it has no direct power to 
injure others, or draw them into errors. But it is 
quite contrary with a Hierarchy. When one 
congregation degenerates, falls into error, as part 
of the whole body, in proportion to its standing 
and importance, it has an influence on all the rest ; 
and when such become the more numerous, their 
power to corrupt the more pure is increased. On 
the other hand, in a period of general lukewarm- 
ness or apostasy, if an Independent church be 
impressed with the duty of reformation, there is 
nothing in their connection with other churches to 
clog, or prevent a reformation. But a congrega- 
tion, which is part of a Hierarchy, *in such a sit- 
uation, would find the whole weight of the con- 
nection hanging upon them, and it would be 
impossible for them to succeed without bringing 
the majority of the whole body to their mind, or 
by separation. It is supposed that by having some 
kind of a ruling body as a Synod, Conference, or 
such like, error may be kept from creeping into 
congregations, and union be promoted, by the 
power the majority has over the minority. But 
how should one man, or one body, keep another 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 33 

from error ? By compulsion, or persuasion ? There 
is no lawful means for one body to keep another 
from error, but by remonstrance, and exhortation. 
No other method can be successful ; if this fails, 
pains, penalties, imprisonments, confiscations, and 
death, would be useless. Force may make hypo- 
crites, but never will make consistent, truth-loving 
Christians. A law of the General Assembly, or 
Conference, or Synod, may prevent a man from 
preaching error on some particular points of doc- 
trine ; but can it enable him to preach " the truth as 
it is in Jesus ?" Will it enable " the blind to lead 
the blind, without both falling into the ditch?" 
Where is the great difference between poisoning the 
sheep, and starving them ? Let the history of the 
Hierarchies vouch their utility and efficiency in re- 
straining error, and preserving vital religion and 
union, even in their own bounds ! Let their history 
in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and every part 
of Europe, give testimony to their restraining and 
preserving influence ! Let the names on everybody's 
lips— "High Church" and "Low Church," "Old 
School" and " New School," " Church North" and 
Church South," " Ritualist" and " Anti-Ritualist," 
" Symbolist" and " Ant i- Symbolist," — tell their 
preserving, restraining, and union-promoting influ- 
ence, even in our own free land ! Their history 
will show, that, in proportion to the entireness of 
their sway or dominion, that for a time, they may 
preserve orthodoxy in the letter, but midnight 
darkness may reign with an orthodox creed, to be 
followed, ultimately, by every form of error and 



34 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

corruption. While, on the other hand, the history 
of the Independent churches, as they existed from 
the times of the Apostles to the 16th century, 
under the names of Novatians or Cathari, Donatists, 
Paulicians, Henricians, Petrobrussians, Arnoldists, 
Albigenses, Waldenses, Mennonites or Anabaptists, 
and Welsh Baptists, — " Witnesses for the truth," 
— shows, as pertains to the great majority of them, 
a purity of life, and an uncorruptedness of doctrine, 
which even their enemies have not been able to im- 
peach. Now, all the means of remonstrance, per- 
suasion, exhortation, and entreaty, are equally open 
to the Independent churches to preserve each other 
from backsliding and error. A church of this 
order may reform other churches, but can receive 
no injury from them. A congregation in a Hierar- 
chy may be injured by its connection, if others are 
corrupt, but cannot reform them in any other way 
than what is practicable by an Independent church. 
The conclusion, therefore, is inevitable, that, as 
this form of government has all the advantages, 
without any of the disadvantages, of the Hierar- 
chical, it is more likely to be the New Testament 
plan. 

3. THAT FORM WHICH IS SUFFICIENT. 

It is a maxim of philosophy, as well as in theolo- 
gy, that God does nothing in vain. According to 
this, if all the ends of Church Government can be 
obtained in an Independent church, all foreign in- 
terference is useless, and cannot be God's appoint- 
ment. That a church under this form of govern- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 35 

ment, can subsist in vigor, is evident from experi- 
ence ; and that it is capable of exerting all neces- 
sary influence in preserving others from error, is 
also evident ; what possible advantage, then, can 
be gained by a numerous subordination of higher 
human authorities ? If a light hat of fur be suffi- 
cient to preserve the head from the weather, why 
cover it with a millstone ? 

4. THAT FORM WHICH DOES NOT NEED HUMAN 
EXPEDIENTS. 

That form of Church Government which cannot 
preserve uniformity and purity of doctrine without 
human expedients, is not so likely to be the New 
Testament model, as that which can attain and pre- 
serve the highest possible degree of vital religion, 
as well as uniformity and purity of doctrine, with- 
out admitting, in any instance, the devices of human 
wisdom. Now, the advocates of the Hierarchical 
form of government claim, that it is impossible to 
preserve uniformity of opinion among them, with- 
out some general authoritative formula, or confes- 
sion, or articles of faith, to be publicly recognized 
by their membership. There is no such formula or 
confession of faith in the Scriptures. That consti- 
tution that requires one to maintain purity is not 
likely to be of God. 

6. THAT FORM WHICH REQUIRES MOST KNOWLEDGE 
OF THE SCRIPTURES. 

That form of Church Government that leads most 



36 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

to the Scriptures, and requires in church members 
the most intimate acquaintance with them, is most 
likely to be the form prescribed by the New Testa- 
tament. Without acquaintance with the Divine 
oracles, the members of an Independent church 
cannot advance a single step in church affairs. A 
knowledge of the Scriptures is absolutely necessary 
to them, arising from the constitution of their 
churches. The Bible is their code of laws ; they 
have no other authoritative confession of faith, or 
book of discipline, and it must, in order to their 
instruction in their church business, and duties, be 
always before them. In the Hierarchical churches, 
submitting every thing to their rulers, and authori- 
tative bodies, the mass of their membership need 
know but little about the Scriptures. Hence, alas ! 
the "Roman Catholic layman" is deprived of the 
precious volume altogether. The church rulers 
need, as their chief qualifications, a knowledge of 
established forms, ancient usages, ecclesiastical 
canons, books of discipline, and confessions of 
faith ; and these, of necessity, must be chiefly con- 
sulted. The Independent form, requiring constant 
study of the Scriptures, is most likely to be the 
form found in the New Testament. 

'6. THAT FORM WHICH MOST CONSTANTLY NEEDS 
THE DIVINE PRESENCE. 

That form of Church Government which needs 
most the presence of God and prayer, is most like- 
ly to be the Divine model. As the membership in 
an Independent church need to be in constant com- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 37 

munion with the Scriptures, and learning there the 
duty of unanimity in all things, when, by their 
feeble judgment, they are unable to decide, their 
miry resource is prayer for Divine direction. The 
mass of their membership are not the learned, but 
" the weak things of the world," and therefore re- 
quire, constantly, Divine aid ; so that, if there be 
one member of a different mind from the rest, the 
promised presence and interposition of Jesus is 
their only refuge, and prayer their only remedy. 
They have no other judicatory. They must appeal 
to God, and await his direction. A system which 
thus inevitably recognizes the Divine prerogative, 
and leads its adherents constantly to him for direc- 
tion, we may expect to find in the New Testament. 

t. THAT FORM WHICH IS MOST FAVORABLE TO 
SOUL-LIBERTY. 

That form of Church Government which recog- 
nizes most fully the manhood of every man, which 
is most favorable to liberty of conscience, and in 
which the individual experiences the least undue 
influence in determining his principles and conduct 
in religious matters, is most likely to be the New 
Testament model. The Scriptures are the only 
rule of faith and practice, and every man is bound 
to judge of them, and determine their meaning for 
himself. He may use helps to understand them : 
but if he understands them differently from others, 
he is bound to act on his own belief, rather than 
that of another. No other churches recognize the 
manhood of every member, and in no other churches 



38 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

is this liberty so completely enjoyed, as in the In- 
dependent churches. True, in some of the Hierar- 
chies, individuals may enjoy all the liberty they de- 
sire ; but does this result from the nature of their 
constitution, or, from the indulgence or indifference 
of those connected with them ? The leading princi- 
ple of the Hierarchical system, that for which it is 
most prized by its greatest admirers, is the power 
of regulating principles and conduct in matters of 
religion. If this power be taken away, what end does 
it serve ? And should the authoritative body meet, 
without this power, it would be but a meeting of 
officers " in general or annual convocation/' for coun- 
cil and advice. Where has there been such a meet- 
ing, such a convocation of the officers or delegates of 
a Hierarchy, that acted solely on the principle of 
council and advice ? There are Hierarchical con- 
nections, in which individuals may be Calvinists or 
Arminians, believe the canon of Scripture, or set 
aside part of it, believe in baptismal regeneration, 
or reject it, and disagree in reference to other im- 
portant doctrines and church rites and ceremonies; 
but this can only be the result of connivance in the 
general authoritative bocty. Whenever the ruling 
body chooses to claim its right, a majority may 
compel an individual to embrace every peculiarity of 
their creed, and direct and circumscribe his labors 
as they please. Is not every member amenable to 
their bar, if he transgress any law of theirs, although 
he may judge them contrary to the laws of Christ ? 
Does he have the privilege, while under their juris- 
diction, of thinking and acting for himself, in all 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 39 

religious matters ? Tp be consistent he must sub- 
mit. Then, though there may be more liberty of 
conscience in some of the Hierarchies than others 
of the same order, as the power of compulsion is 
inherent in their constitution, involving, to a greater 
or less degree, the surrender of the manhood of the 
membership thereof, that form cannot be the one 
most likely to be found in the New Testament. 

As a matter of fact, Independent Church Govern- 
ment, gave birth to the best form of Civil Govern- 
ment. Thomas Jefferson learned his ideas of the 
principles of Civil Government, from a little Inde- 
pendent (Baptist) church, in the neighborhood in 
which he lived, whose business meetings he was in 
the habit of attending. The principle which under- 
lies the whole structure of the Government of the 
United States of America, and each State, viz., 
that all power is inherent in the people, that the 
officers of the Government are of the people, chosen 
by the people, not to rule over them, but to serve 
them, and promote their interests and welfare, is 
the very centre and soul of Independent Church 
Government, In all the history of the Hierarchies, 
where have any of them given civil liberty to any 
part of the world ? Is it not true, that where the 
Hierarchy is most potent, there the Government of 
the State is most despotic ; and in proportion as 
the power of the Hierarchy has been modified and 
limited, the Civil Government is free ? 

Independency gave birth to Religious Liberty. 
Roger Williams, an Independent minister, first, in 
all the history of human governments, proclaimed 



40 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

and established the entire separation of Church and 
State, and the absolute freedom of the worshipper, 
from the control of the State. Says Bancroft, (in 
his great History of the United States,) concerning 
Roger Williams : "He was a Puritan, and a fugitive 
from English persecution, * * * and he, and he 
alone, had arrived at the great principle which is 
its sole effectual remedy. He announced his dis- 
covery under the simple proposition of the sanctity 
of conscience. The civil magistrate should restrain 
crime, but never control opinion ; should punish 
guilt, but never violate the freedom of the soul. 
* * * At a time when Germany was the battle- 
field of all Europe, in the implacable wars of reli- 
gion, when even Holland was bleeding with the 
anger of vengeful factions, when France was still 
to go through the fearful struggle with bigotry, 
when England was gasping under the despotism of 
intolerance, more than forty years before William 
Penn became an American proprietary, Roger 
Williams asserted the great doctrine of intellectual 
liberty. It became his glory to found a State upon 
that principle. * * * * * He was the first person 
in modern Christendom to assert in its plenitude 
the doctrine of the liberty of conscience, the 
equality of opinions before the law," etc. 

From this beginning, in the State of Rhode 
Island, religious liberty has gradually spread over 
our whole country, being incorporated into the 
constitution of every State. In Virginia the strug- 
gle was long and hard. Dr. Hawks, in his history 
of the Protestant Episcopal church of Virginia, 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 41 

says : " The Baptists were the principal promoters 
of this work, and, in truth, aided more than any- 
other denomination in its accomplishment." More- 
over the Baptists, ever on the alert, not satisfied 
with the Constitution of the Federal Union, urged, 
and procured the adoption of the amendment, re- 
lating to religious liberty, which is now the supreme 
law of the land. Where, we may ask again, in all 
the history of the Hierarchies, have they given 
religious liberty to any part of our earth. Is it not 
true, that where the Hierarchy is most potent, 
religious liberty is not enjoyed ; and in proportion 
as the power of the Hierarchy is modified or limited, 
religious liberty is enjoyed ? From them, as shown 
by their history — and they have a history — not a 
single ray, of either civil or religious liberty, has 
fallen upon the pathway of any of our race. If, 
therefore, civil and religious libert} r be of God, 
Hierarchy, which has ever been antagonistic to 
them, cannot be of God, and is not likely to be 
found in the New Testament. 

8. THAT FORM WHICH HAS FEWEST INCITEMENTS 
TO UNHALLOWED AMBITION. 

Nothing is more universally felt in the human 
heart than ambition. Nothing our Lord found 
more difficult to repress, in His immediate followers. 
That form of Church Government, then, which af- 
fords fewest incitements to ambition, is likely to 
be the model our Lord would set forth. Of all 
churches, the Independent will stand foremost in 
this. They afford no opportunities for the exercise 



42 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

of a worldly ambition. Where the fundamental 
principle is equality of all, before the law of 
Christ, there can be no incitement to unhallowed 
ambition. Some of the Hierarchies have fought 
for and obtained temporal power and riches, and 
when they held the sword, it was more like Mahomet 
of Mecca, than Jesus of Nazareth. Gradation in 
office and power belongs intrinsically to the Hierar- 
chical form of Church Government. This promotes 
ambition, and cannot, therefore, be the Divine order. 

9. THAT FORM WHOSE HYPOTHESES ARE UNIFORM. 

If there be any particular model of Church Gov- 
ernment in the New Testament, it is probable that 
the enlightened advocates of it would rest their 
cause on the same foundation, however various their 
arguments. For, if several intelligent men embrace 
the same model, and have the same means of infor- 
mation, they have every inducement to unanimity ; 
and, if disinterested and unprejudiced, are likely to 
defend it on the same general ground. If they take 
different and opposite hypotheses to serve as 
groundwork for their superstructure, they are not 
likely to have had a common ground in the Scriptures. 
Now, the advocates of Hierarchy take quite different 
grounds to rest it on. Some defend the whole sys- 
tem as Divine. Others find only the skeleton of it 
in the word of God. Others defend it as a lawful 
human system, on the ground that no particular 
form of Church Government is prescribed (as they 
teach) in the New Testament. Some find three 
orders in the Christian Ministry, others but one or 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 43 

a parity of all, or, at most, two. No two of the 
Hierarchies are alike. They differ in important 
particulars, as much as the political governments of 
the world. The rational inference to be drawn from 
this diversity is, that they have no common source 
from which to draw their ideas. If they all saw the 
same picture in the word of God, surely they would 
not give so many different and contradictory ac- 
counts of it, when it is their interest to agree. If 
the Presbyterian form of Church Government had 
been in the Scriptures, Dr. George Campbell, of 
Aberdeen, was fully equal to the task of defending 
it ; yet he gives up its Divine right, and proves 
beyond contradiction, that the apostolic churches 
were Independent. Archbishop Whately, of all 
men, could defend the Divine right of Episcopacy ; 
but he, too, in his picture of a church on an island, 
yields the claim to Independency. So, also, Drs. 
John Lawrence Mosheim and Samuel Schmucker, 
of the Lutheran church, who find only Independent 
churches in the times of the Apostles. These dis- 
tinguished men, and others we might name, if the 
Hierarchical form of Church Government was in the 
New Testament, could find it, and defend it against 
all opposers. The conclusion is inevitable. Hier- 
archical Church Government is not in the New 
Testament. 

10. THAT FORM WHICH IS BEST ADAPTED TO PRO- 
MOTE THE WELFARE OF ITS ADHERENTS. 

The ends of Church Government and church 
meetings of every kind, must be, chiefly, the edifi- 



44 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

cation and growth of the members, and the promo- 
tion of brotherly love. That form of government 
which is best calculated to promote these ends, is 
most likely to have been instituted by Christ. The 
legitimate workings of the two systems may be 
seen in their history, as for centuries they existed, 
in direct antagonism, in Europe . The history of 
the Hierarchies has been written, and what a fright- 
ful and appaling picture it presents ! How appro- 
priately are the ten centuries preceding the six- 
teenth, as pertains to the Hierarchies of Greece and 
Rome, named " the dark ages !" The history of the 
churches of the Independent order of government 
is not yet fully written, and if ever written at all, 
many of its lines must be traced in blood — freely 
poured out by the best of men, whose lives were 
cheerfully given for the pure, unadulterated word 
of God, " the faith once delivered to the saints." 
The few pages of their history which have come 
down to us, are like oases in a desert ; and, like the 
"Star of Bethlehem," shining o'er Judea's dark 
plains, pointing the wise men to the Redeemer's 
lowly bed, they point the reader to a people, " whose 
origin is hid in the remote depths of antiquity,"* 
who are the true representatives of gospel simplici- 
ty and purity. Jones says of the Paulicians, under 
which name they were at one period known : " Their 
leading idea was to restore the profession of Chris- 
tianity to its primitive simplicity. "f Gibbon says: 
" The Paulician teachers were distinguished by their 

* Moshiem, vol. iv v pp. 424-428. f Jones's Ch. Hist., pp. 237-240. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 45 

scriptural names — by the modest title of their fellow 
pilgrims — the austerity of their lives — and the credit 
of some extraordinary gift of the Holy Spirit ; but 
they were incapable of desiring, at least of obtaining, 
the wealth and honors of the Catholic Prelacy. 
Such anti-christian conduct they strongly con- 
demned."* Mosheim most clearly shows that 
they had more correct ideas of religion and church 
order, than the dominant churches (Greek and 
Romish) of that period, and were persecuted more on 
account of their dislike to images, and opposition 
to the Hierarchies, than for their other religious 
opinions. He says : " It may be observed, in the 
first place, that the Mennonites are not entirely 
mistaken when they boast of their descent from the 
Waldenses, Petrobrussians, and other ancient sects, 
who are usually considered witnesses of the truth,, 
in times of universal darkness and superstition. 
Before the rise of Luther and Calvin, there lay con- 
cealed in almost all the countries of Europe, parti- 
cularly in Bohemia, Moravia, Sivitzerland, and Ger- 
many, many persons who adhered tenaciously to 
the following doctrine, which the Waldenses, Wick- 
liffites, and Hussites had maintained, some in a 
more dignified, and others in a more open and pub- 
lic manner, viz : That the kingdom of Ghrist, or the 
visible church he had established on earth, ivas an 
assembly of true and real saints, and ought therefore 
to be inaccessible to the ivicked and unrighteous, 
and also exempt from all those institutions which 

* Gibbon's Rome, vol. v., p. 389. 



46 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

human prudence suggests."* Concerning them, 
Rienerius Saccho, a Roman Catholic Inquisitor, and 
most bitter enemy, deliberately makes the following 
declaration : " Among all the sects, which still are 
or have been, there is not one more pernicious than 
that of the Leonists, (a name given to the Walden- 
ses,) and that for several reasons: 1st. Because it is 
the oldest ; for some say it hath existed from the 
time of Pope Sylvester, (4th cent.,) others from the 
time of the Apostles. The 2d. Because it is more 
general ; for there is scarce any country where this 
sect is not. And 3d. Because, when all other sects 
beget horror by their blasphemies against God, this, 
the Leonists, hath a great show of piety, because 
they live justly before men, and believe all things 
concerning God, and all the articles contained in 
the creed, only, they blaspheme the church of 
Rome." He says further: " They maybe known 
by their manner, and their words ; for in their 
manner they are composed and modest— they show 
no pride in their garb, being neither costly nor 
sordid. They avoid merchandize and trade for 
fear of lies, oaths, and cozenage, but live only by 
their handicraft : and even their teachers are artifi- 
cers. They heap not up riches, but are content 
with necessaries, and these Leonists are singularly 
chaste, whereas all others but they, are incestuous. 
They are also temperate in their eating and drink- 
ing. They frequent not taverns, neither dancings, 
nor other vanities. They refrain from anger, and 



Mosh., vol. iv., p. 428. (McClaine's Trans.) 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 4? 

are always at work, and both learn and teach one 
another. They are also to be known by their speech, 
in which the} 7 are wary and modest, and take 
special care to abstain from scurrility and detrac- 
tion, from levity of expression, and lying, and 
swearing.' 7 * Looking at this picture, and compar- 
ing it with the well known history of darkness, and 
ignorance, and superstition ; of usurpation, and 
tyranny, and oppression, priest-craft, and cruel per- 
secution ; of debauchery, and licentiousness, and 
deep moral degradation, which characterized the 
Greek and Romish Hierarchies during all this 
period, and to this day characterize them where 
their power is not limited, or modified — will any one 
say the genius of their constitution had nothing to 
do in producing this vast difference ? The con- 
clusion is inevitable, the simple, Independent 
form of Church Government is best adapted to pro- 
mote the welfare of its adherents, and is, therefore, 
the form most likely to be found in the New Testa- 
ment. 

11. THAT FORM WHICH MOST NEARLY RESEMBLES THE 
SIMPLICITY OF OTHER GOSPEL INSTITUTIONS. 

Christ's institutions father themselves. If a 
child be lost, and after many years, several pre- 
tenders come to the father, and there be not suffi- 
cient evidence from testimony, to determine between 
them, w T ould it not be proper to look for a resem- 
blance to the parents and their other children, 

* Rien. Saccho, contra Wald., Baird's Hist, of the Wald., pp. 276-279 



48 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

either in bodily appearance, temper, or genius? 
If a striking resemblance is found in any one of 
them, it will be instantly concluded that he fathers 
himself. In the same manner it is reasonable to 
expect a family likeness in all the ordinances and 
works of God. Let us then apply this rule in 
ascertaining the Divine legitimacy of the form of 
Church Government. Christ has such a child, and 
while hid in the wilderness, a vile imposture has 
been imposed on the world during all the dark ages 
of the reign of Anti-Christ. Since the time when 
this child came forth from his hiding place, in the 
sixteenth century, others have laid claim to the 
honor of heavenly birth. It may be highly service- 
able, in judging of their claims, to compare the 
features, mien, temper, and genius of each, with 
those of the Father and his other undoubted chil- 
dren. God's wisdom is foolishness to the world, 
and the wisdom of the world is foolishness with 
God. Whatever then be the Divine form of Church 
Government, it is evident that it must be one 
which would not be suggested by human prudence 
or policy, that it may appear to be of God, anal- 
ogous to his procedure in other instances, and 
having a necessity for his presence and guidance. 
It must be one which would appear defective, and 
inadequate in the estimation of the wisdom of this 
world that God may have the glory of upholding 
it himself. This is exactly the manner of the 
Divine procedure in every instance. The wisdom 
of the world expected Christ to have appeared in 
far different and opposite circumstances, and to 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 49 

have acted in quite a contrary manner, in erecting 
and establishing his kingdom ; but the Divine 
wisdom appears in this, that the Almighty power 
of God is manifested in accomplishing what had 
evidently no other support. As the Gospel was first 
propagated by means the most unlikely to succeed, 
in themselves the most inadequate ; to show that the 
unseen hand of God upheld and spread it, and that 
the Divine procedure be consistent, it is necessary 
that the government be seen to rest solely on Im- 
manuel's shoulders. As he was introduced and 
inaugurated, and his kingdom set up in a manner 
directly the reverse of human prudence and policy, 
so also is it probable he will govern it. To conduct 
the government of his kingdom on any of the plans 
of human government, by measures and assemblies 
formed after a worldly model, would be inconsistent 
with the whole conduct and procedure of Jesus, 
Now if there be any justice in this reasoning, a 
very child may apply it to the point in hand. It 
may be said truthfully of the government of every 
Hierarchy in existence, that it is entirely a politi- 
cal institution, either an absolute or limited mon- 
archy, or republic, with its self-appointed or elevated 
and perpetuated, or its delegated, earthly head, 
or rulers ; its executive, legislative, and judicial 
powers ; its representation in ecclesiastical assem- 
blies ; subordination of courts, right of appeal, 
forms and etiquette of business, canons, digests of 
laws and decisions, etc., etc.; all borrowed from the 
world. On the contrary, the Independent form, like 
Christ himself, has never approved itself to the 



50 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

wisdom of this world. Nay, the only argument 
that can plausibly be urged against it, is, its in- 
sufficiency for airy other than primitive times. In 
no civil government in the world are its distinguish- 
ing features to be found. It could not govern a 
private family of unre generate men. We call it a 
Democracy, a government of the people ; it is 
rather a Christocracy ; Christ alone governs. There 
is not a law or regulation left to the wisdom of 
man. What civil government ever existed in 
which the unanimous consent of every member was 
necessary in any instance ? Human affairs could 
never be conducted in this manner, nor could a 
body of unconverted men in a church, succeed in 
its government, in this way. Nothing but the 
unseen, almighty power of God, could have pro- 
tected and propagated the Gospel in the circum- 
stances of its appearance ; nothing but the presence 
of Jesus according to his promise, (Matt, xxviii: 19, 
20,) could make the machinery of Independent 
Church Government effect its end. If then, a like- 
ness to God, and an analogy to his procedure in 
other instances be any token of childship, Indepen- 
dency, and not Hierarchy, is the lawful heir. 

But let us pursue the comparison further. In all 
New Testament institutions, there is a remarkable 
simplicity. In the Hierarchies there is the most com- 
plicated machinery that could possibly be invented ; 
a tedious, roundabout, " red tape" way of settling 
differences, and transacting church business. Sev- 
eral hundred men, more or less, from distant parts 
of a province, kingdom, state, or nation, meeting at 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 51 

stated periods, besides all their subordinate meet- 
ings, bears no resemblance to the simplicity of 
other Gospel institutions. When united to those, 
it is like a plain dressed gentleman, with a huge 
military hat and feather; or like a small, neat 
chapel with a towering steeple. The simplicity of 
the Gospel is not seen, but rather a worldly pomp 
and show, and not having the marks of other 
Gospel institutions, we cannot reasonably expect to 
find it in the New Testament. We might trace the 
picture much farther, but will barely mention that 
Hierarchical Government is too expensive for a 
" kingdom not of this world." The other children 
live on a trifle ; if this is the heir, he is a rake. 



52 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



CHAPTER III. 

THE OBLIGATION OF APOSTOLIC PRACTICE. 

Having given some reasons to show the antece- 
dent probability of a Divine model of Church Gov- 
ernment, with some observations on the nature of 
the plan, we are entitled to expect, before examining 
the Scripture respecting the claims of Hierarchical 
and Independent Church Governments, it becomes 
necessary to establish the obligation of the aposto- 
lic churches. 

1. if there be an apostolic model, WHY NOT 

FOLLOW IT? 

It cannot possibly be determined what the Bible 
contains, till we examine it ; but if there be every 
reason, antecedently, to expect a Divine form of 
Church Government, and if it be possible to trace 
the practice of the apostolic churches, is there not 
every reason to look on this as the Divine model ? 
It is granted that arguments antecedent to an ex- 
amination, are inconclusive, if no form be pointed 
out from the New Testament ; but if it is possible to 
ascertain the constitution of the apostolic churches, 
why should they not have their full force ? Like 
an in figures, these arguments draw all their force 
from their situation: standing alone, they are 
worth nothing ; united to the approved apostolic 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 53 

practice, their worth cannot be depreciated, or their 
force invalidated. If a Divine plan of Church Gov- 
ernment be extremely necessary, by what authority 
does any man reject the apostolic plan ? 

2. THE GENERAL SENSE OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS. 

The general sense of professing Christians is on 
the side of the obligation of apostolic example. 
How ready are they to catch at every thing that 
looks like approving their respective systems ! 
What abundant pains they take to detect every part 
of the system of their adversaries that is not apos- 
tolic ! Every denomination of professing Christians 
goes as far as it can in company with the Apostles : 
it is not till they cannot follow, that they proclaim 
their insufficiency. Did ever any one think of the 
insufficiency of apostolic teaching and example, till 
he found them against him ? Could any of the 
Hierarchies produce uniform apostolic practice on 
their side, how would they triumph! 

3. NO PART OF SCRIPTURE USELESS. 

If the apostolic churches are not a model to us, 
then all those numerous scriptures that are employed 
in describing them, or in giving them directions, 
are useless to us. Why is such lumber contained 
in the word of God ? " All scripture" is said to be 
" given by inspiration," and " to be necessary ;" but 
if we are not to imitate the apostolic churches, then, 
there are many passages in the New Testament, 
now, absolutely useless. Accordingly, it is very 
evident, how uninteresting such portions of scrip- 



54 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

ture are to all who hold themselves at liberty to 
deviate from apostolic example. Such persons 
have a much more barren revelation than others. 

4. THE NEW TESTAMENT MODEL, THE BEST. 

Either the Apostles acted by Divine direction, or 
by their own wisdom, in the constitution of churches. 
If by their own wisdom, they would undoubtedly 
have told us so, as they do in less important 
matters. But, even on this supposition, the judg- 
ment of an Apostle is entitled to more respect than 
to be rejected, without the most urgent reason. The 
private opinion of Paul, on a matter of expediency, 
is rather to be preferred than that of a whole 
general council. But if they acted by Divine com- 
mand, as they undoubtedly did, the form of Church 
Government they instituted can never be changed, 
but by the same authority. And if any one form 
is better than another, surely, the apostolic is the 
best. It cannot, therefore, be a matter of indiffer- 
ence, whether we follow the best, or adopt a worse. 
If the Holy Spirit had judged it expedient to adopt 
a different form, at a different period, or under dif- 
ferent circumstances, there must have been some 
intimation of it. Without a Divine license, we are 
not at liberty to alter, or infringe in the smallest 
degree. We may as well assume the right to change 
any other apostolic institution, as that of Church 
Government. 

5. NO DANGER IN IMITATING THE APOSTOLIC 
MODELS. 

There can be no danger in the closest imitation 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 55 

of the apostolic churches. Is any one sure that he 
does not displease God by refusing to imitate them ? 
Between the certainty of pleasing him, on the one 
hand, and the possibilit} r of displeasing him, on 
the other, the choice which the Christian should 
make is evident. 

6. CONSISTENCY. 

'No person who pleads the authority of apostolic 
example for the first day of the week as the Chris- 
tian Sabbath, or, indeed, for any other purpose, can 
consistently refuse it in this instance. 

1. ONLY A PLAN IN MODEL EXPECTED. 

A plan in model, and not in systematic delinea- 
tion is what we are entitled to expect. A direct 
and formal treatise on this subject which many 
persons look for, would be altogether anomalous in 
the New Testament. After ages are nowhere ad- 
dressed but in the person, as it were, of the apos- 
tolic churches ; we are not known but as members 
of them. Whatever is said to them is said to us. 
Thus, our Lord promising his continual presence 
with his servants in preaching and obeying the 
Gospel, addresses them all in every age, in the 
persons of the Apostles, then present : " Lo, I am 
with you always to the end of the world." " Where 
two or three of you are met, there am I, etc."* The 
Apostles, also speaking of what was to come to pass 



* Matthew xxviii. 20 ; xviii. 20. 



56 



INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



in every after age, address those to whom they 
write as concerned, and warn them of what was to 
happen to us and our successors to the end of the 
world : " We who are alive and remain unto the 
coming of the Lord shall not prevent (precede) 
them who are asleep."* Here the Apostle ad- 
dresses, in the person of the church of the Thessa- 
lonians, then existing, those Christians who shall 
be on the earth at the time of the second coming of 
our Lord. Many more examples might be given if 
it were necessary. Now, this being the case, that 
after-ages are addressed in the person of apostolic 
churches, how absurd it is to expect a formal trea- 
tise on Church Government ! Every necessary in- 
struction must have been given in forming the 
churches. How preposterous would it be for an 
Apostle, after he had formed a church and left it, to 
write a treatise to that church on the method of 
forming a church ! All then that can be expected 
is an incidental account of apostolic practice. 
The subject cannot be formally, but indirectly, and 
as it were unintentionally handled. Suppose, for 
instance, Paul had founded a church in Edinburgh, 
and, after his departure, had written a letter to 
them to establish them in the faith, would any 
rational man expect a treatise on the constitution 
of a church, which he had already constituted ? No ! 
All we could expect would be an allusion to what 
he had done. Then, according to the analogy of 
the manner of revelation there is not room for any 



* 1 Thes. iv. 15. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 5? 

other information on Church Government than an 
account of apostolic practice. 

8. DIVINE ADMONITION TO MOSES. 

" Moses was admonished to make all things ac- 
cording to the pattern shown him in the mount." 
He was not at liberty to depart in the least from 
that model. Now we have a pattern for our New 
Testament churches, exhibited to us in those of the 
apostolic constitution. To this pattern we are to 
look for every part of our constitution and disci- 
pline. Let every man take care that he make every 
thing in a Gospel church after the pattern exhibited 
to us in the New Testament. This is the Divine 
model ; to add to it, or take from it, will spoil the 
beauty and diminish the strength of the building. 

9. PRESUMPTUOUS TO DEPART FROM THE NEW TES- 
TAMENT MODELS WITHOUT DIVINE AUTHORITY. 

We are often called on to be followers of the 
Apostles, without any exception or limitation. By 
what authority is the formation of churches, by the 
Apostles, excepted from this rule ? From every 
general command there can be no lawful exception, 
but what is impossible, sinful, or otherwise deter- 
mined. If we are called on without reserve to 
follow the Apostles, the injunction extends, not 
merely to their conduct as men, but particularly 
as our examples in church affairs. If we justify a 
quarrelsome disposition, from the example of Paul 
and Barnabas, we are condemned by the Scriptures. 
But this quarrel is not recorded for nothing. It is 



58 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

for an example to guard us against such a temper. 
If any one contend for the duty of celibacy from 
the example of Paul, his example, in this, is de- 
clared not to be binding. If any one undertake 
to work miracles, like the Apostles, this is impossi- 
ble, without receiving the power of an Apostle. But 
is the imitation of the apostolic churches sinful, 
impossible, or otherwise determined in any part of 
the Scriptures ? If not, is there any reason for ex- 
cepting it from the general injunction? If the 
apostolic example is to be set aside in the constitu- 
tion of churches, those who thus teach must pro- 
duce Divine authority for setting it aside. A com- 
mand to continue the apostolic form is always sup- 
posed unless there is a positive declaration to the 
contrary. If God instituted the Independent, or 
any other form, before any man can warrantably 
deviate from it, he must produce a specific license 
from the Scriptures. 

10. SOME APOSTOLIC CHURCHES MODELS TO OTHERS. 

The manner of revelation forbids us to expect a 
direct address to after ages on the obligation of 
apostolic practice, yet we have what is equivalent 
to it. There are instances in which an older com- 
pletely organized apostolic church is exhibited as a 
pattern to others, not so perfect. Now, if the apos- 
tolic churches are exhibited as models to others, and 
if some are praised or blamed for their conformity 
to, or disagreement from them, it is very clear that 
the Apostles intended that all churches, in every 
age, should be formed after the same model. " For 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 59 

ye brethren became followers of the churches of 
God, which, in Judea, are in Christ Jesus."* "And 
so I ordain in all the churches."f " For God is not 
the author of confusion, but of peace, as is in all 
the churches of the saints." J Here, the same order 
is intimated to exist in all the churches. But how 
is God the author of order and peace in all the 
churches of the saints if he has not ordered every 
thing himself? If he has left men to choose their 
form of Church Government, and to make laws for 
themselves in religious matters, could it be said he 
is not a God of confusion ? The confusion that 
would exist on that supposition must be boundless 
and endless. To the Corinthian Church the Apos- 
tle says, " We have no such custom, neither the 
churches of God."§ Here the other apostolic 
churches are exhibited as a model to this. " Now 
concerning the collections for the saints, as I have 
given orders to the churches of Galatia, even so do 
ye. ? '|| Here the example of the churches of Galatia 
is exhibited as a model to the church at Corinth. 
"For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou 
shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, 
and ordain elders in every city as I had appointed 
thee."^[ Here, we see, that setting "in order the 
things that are wanting" was not left to his own 
discretion, but he was to act in every thing as Paul 
had appointed. Titus had his instructions as an 
officer from his general. Can we pretend to any 



* 1 Thes. ii. H. f 1 Cor. vii. 17. i 1 Cor. xiv. 33. 

I 1 Cor. xi. 16. || 1 Cor. xvi. 1. f Titus i. 5. 



60 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

greater power ? " Wherefore, I beseech you, be ye 
followers of me. For this cause have I sent to you 
Timothy, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the 
Lord, who shall bring you into remembrance of my 
ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere in 
every church."* Here, the Apostle's injunctions are 
universally binding on all the churches, and no one 
is at liberty to depart from his instructions. 

11. APOSTOLIC MODELS EQUAL TO THE DEMANDS OP 
EVERY AGE. 

Is it possible for a church to exist and flourish, 
without observing any other laws, rules or regula- 
tions ; without any other offices, or modification of 
offices ; without any other discipline or sanction of 
discipline ; without any other test of admission or 
means of preserving purity, but what are to be col- 
lected from apostolic example and the scattered 
information of the New Testament ? If this ques- 
tion can be answered in the affirmative, what 
apology can men plead for their innovations ? It 
is said that " no form of church government could 
answer for all ages, countries, and circumstances. " 
This means, that no form of government could be 
given to suit the various humors of carnal men; 
that no form could be given, by which church and 
state might be united under one political system, 
or under every form of civil government ; that the 
simple apostolic model, suited only to the times of 
the Apostles, was incapable of governing that mixed 



* 1 Cor. iv. 16, 17. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 61 

multitude of which a church is composed, which 
embraces all the inhabitants of a state or nation, 
without regard to character. But these are the 
very credentials of its Divine appointment. It is 
eminently calculated to govern Christ's children, 
w r ho like the Spartan youth, have their minds 
moulded to their laws ; but the apostolic form will 
always be found to fail, where the membership is 
not of the character of the apostolic churches ; nay, 
one impure member, if not cut off, when detected, 
would stop the harmonious procedure of the whole 
machineiy, as effectually as a watch is stopped by 
the accidental admission of a hair. The Apostles 
acted in all things by divine command. The whole 
arrangement of the apostolic churches is therefore 
the establishment of Christ. Can he be pleased by 
a change in his ordinances ? Shall the spiritual 
kingdom of Christ change its appearance, its form, 
its ordinances, with the fluctuating opinions of the 
world ; the varying laws of temporal kingdoms ; or 
the caprices of carnal men? "Now I praise you, 
brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and 
keep the ordinances as I delivered them unto you."* 

* 1 Cor. xi. 2. 



62 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



CHAPTER IV. 

WHAT DOES THE NEW TESTAMENT TEACH CONCERN- 
ING CHURCH GOVERNMENT? 

Having in the preceding chapters stated some 
reasons to render a Divine model of Church Govern- 
ment probable ; having shown some characteristics 
of that which is likely to be the scriptural model ; 
and endeavored to establish the obligation of apos- 
tolic example ; let ns now proceed to inquire what 
the inspired volume actually teaches on this sub- 
ject. Let us never forget, as a caution, when we 
are interpreting scripture texts, that they are the 
words of the Holy Spirit. He that forces them, to 
make them countenance, or avoid discountenancing 
his system, is guilty of an attempt to compel the 
Holy Spirit to speak a lie, and bear false witness. 
How guilty ! how infamous is the wretch that em- 
ploys or compels another to perjure himself to 
serve his interest ! But how much more criminal 
and infamous is the man who would deliberately 
put a forced interpretation on the language of the 
True and Holy One ! Let us attend to the plain 
testimony of the Divine Word, in its plain obvious 
acceptation. It is really the interest of the Chris- 
tian, if he could allow himself to think so, to dis- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 63 

cover and embrace truth, though it should deprive 
him of his dearest earthly possessions. 

In pleading for the divine right of any particular 
form of Church Government, nothing is to be admit- 
ted, but what is clearly found in the Scriptures, 
either precept or example. Whoever pretends to 
have a Divine model must produce it, without the 
help of conjecture, or probabilities, to complete it. 

There are weighty objections against imposing 
names invented by men on the things of the Holy 
Spirit. When, therefore, the name Independent, 
or Independents, is used for that form of Church 
Government instituted by the Apostles and those 
who now embrace it, it is not of choice, but of 
necessity. The followers of Christ are properly 
called Christians, Saints, or Brethren ; and an 
assembly of these for the purpose of enjoying the 
ordinances of Christ according to his appointment 
is called a church. Xow these words ought always 
to be used to denote the same objects ; but it has 
happened that some of them have been so abused 
and prostituted to other significations, that it is 
impossible to use these plain scripture words with- 
out obscurity. The Apostles had no need to dis- 
tinguish the churches of their times as they are 
now designated, for they were manifestly all alike.* 

* The word u Congregationalist" is used to designate the govern- 
ment which distinguishes a particular body of professing Christians. 
So the word " Baptist/' being a contraction of the word baptized, is 
used in the same way, that is, to distinguish a body of professing 
Christians, and of necessity, rather than choice ; but while the gov- 
ernment is Congregational or Independent, it doe3 not so much ex- 
press this, as the fact that it is a baptized body. 



64 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

1. RULE FOR SETTLING PRIVATE OFFENCES BETWEEN 

BRETHREN. 

That the Government appointed by Christ is 
Independent, is obvious from the rule he gave for 
settling private offences among his disciples :— 
" But if thy brother shall sin against thee, go show 
him his fault between thee and him alone. If he 
shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But 
if he hear not, take with thee one or two more, that 
in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word 
may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear 
them, tell it to the church ; and if he neglect to hear 
the church also, let him be to thee as a heathen and 
a publican."* He does not say, tell it to the 
Quarterly Conference, the Vestry, the Consistory, 
or Church Council, the Session, a Committee; or 
the Annual or General Conference, or Assembly, 
or Council ; the Presbytery, the Synod, or the 
Eldership. But, "tell it to the church," "if he 
neglects to hear the church also." This is very 
plain, and cannot be misunderstood — if any thing 
is plain in the New Testament. If it is now in any 
measure obscure, it has been rendered so, not from 
the scripture use of the term church, but from the 
modern application of it. This rule of our Lord in 
private personal difficulties between his disciples, 
is a most decisive recognition of the manhood of 
every one of them. And not only this, it does not 
recognize any higher authority on earth among the 
followers of Christ, than the church. The church 

* Matt, xviii. 15, 16, 17, revised version. American Bible Union, 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 65 

is the last and highest appeal. But if the church 
is a Hierarchy, a great national body, or a consoli- 
dation of local bodies, this rule cannot be obeyed. 
" Tell it to the church." Had our Lord meant the 
officers or representatives of the church, he would 
have useTcl words indicating what he meant. First, 
it is the offended and the offender alone ; second, 
the offended and one or two other brethren, and the 
offender ; and lastly, the whole church. Can any 
law or rule be plainer or more specific ? Our Lord 
adds, in the verses following: — " Whatever ye shall 
bind on earth shall be bound in heaven." "For 
where two or three Are gathered together in my 
name, there am I in the midst of them." This last 
verse is evidently local in its reference, defines and 
limits the bounds of the word church, and gives 
the Divine sanction to its decision. This is clearly 
an illustration of Independent Church Government. 
It is applicable to no other form. 

2. USE AND APPLICATION OF THE WORD CHURCH. 

With this passage before us, designed as it was 
for universal instruction among the disciples of 
Christ in every age, in which the word church can 
only have a local application, we start with this 
axiom, that Christ meant some determinate thing 
by the word church, and that there must be suffi- 
cient evidence in the New Testament to lead the 
humble, teachable inquirer, into that meaning. 
Our Lord meant to be understood. He spoke, 
therefore, intelligible language. The word used by 
him, translated church, is, Ekklesia, and literally 



66 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

signifies ,an assembly of citizens called out from 
others. Among the Greeks, particularly the Athe- 
nians, it was used for their popular assemblies, or 
public meetings of the people, summoned by the 
chief magistrates, and in which none but citizens 
had a right to sit. By inherent power it s may be 
applied to any body of men called out and assem- 
bled lii one place. It never loses its ideas of call- 
ing out and assembling. 

Such being the origin and use of the word, how 
is it applied in the New Testament ? We do not 
inquire how it is used or applied in the third, or 
fourth, or tenth century ; or in Europe, or America; 
but how is it used and applied by the Apostles ? 
When used in the New Testament in a sacred 
sense as applicable to believers, it is appropriated 
to a body of saints, meeting in one place to enjoy 
the ordinances of the Gospel ; or the Christian 
community, embracing all the saints in all locali- 
ties. When disciples were made and baptized in 
any one place or neighborhood, they became the 
"Ekklesia," the church of that place; as. "the 
church at Jerusalem, " "the church at Antioch," 
"the church at Ephesus," "the church at Phi- 
lippi," "the church at Rome,' 7 etc. The aggregate 
of all the disciples — the saved — the saints of all 
places, is the Ekklesia, the church universal. This 
latter application does not in the least destroy, or 
invalidate the intrinsic idea conveyed by the word. 
All the saints in heaven and on earth, are really 
called out from sinners, and are to be assembled 
with Christ in heaven — "raised up together, and 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 6t 

made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ."* 
Nor does it afford any foundation for Hierarchical 
Church Government. Who will presume to say 
that one portion of the church universal has 
greater authority than another? Manifestly God 
is its only Ruler and Head. There is no other 
use of the word church, as applied to believers, 
in the New Testament. It does not occur in any 
place, in which it refers to a court, or assembly, or 
conference, or synod, or church officers, or to a 
number of local bodies consolidated under one 
human head or government. 

On what principle then, of fair criticism, can 
such courts or assemblies of officers, having au- 
thority over a single local church, or a number of 
associated churches, be urged ? If there be no 
command for it, and no example of such assembly, 
either representative or otherwise, how can they 
claim a divine warrant for their existence, or in 
any respect to be an authoritative part of the church 
of Christ ? Institutions, which have not a name in 
Scripture have not an existence in Scripture. A 
church of Christ is so called, because it consists 
of members called out and separated from the 
world by the Word and Spirit of God. But if an 
authoritative court of church officers or repre- 
sentatives of several churches were so called, it 
would not be because they were called out of the 
world, but because they were called out from their 
brethren, to legislate for and govern them. This 

* Eph. ii, 6. 



68 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

use of the word would be very different from the 
other, and had our Lord instituted such a body he 
would have used the word " sunklesia," an assem- 
bly of nobles and senators. When the inspired 
writers speak of a single assembly or body of saints 
in any one place or neighborhood, they call it a 
church ; when the} r speak of more than one body, 
they do not call them a church, but churches. Thus, 
when Paul writes to the Corinthians, he addresses 
"the church of God which is at Corinth;"* but 
when he writes to the Galatians he addresses " the 
churches of Galatia ;"f also, ■ i the church which 
was at Jerusalem ;"J and, "the churches of God 
which, in Judea, are in Christ Jesus ;"§ " the church 
which is at Cenchrea ;"|| and, "the churches of 
Asia."^f We read of "the seven churches of Asia,"** 
and of a church so small that it is composed of a 
single family, or, at least, able to find room for its 
meetings in a private dwelling ;ff of others so large 
as to require several bishops or pastors,JJ yet each 
one, a church. The evidence is conclusive ; the use 
of the word church in the New Testament proves, 
beyond the possibility of doubt, that the Govern- 
ment of the apostolic churches was Independent, 
and, therefore, it is the only divinely appointed 
Church Government. 

A very clear corroborative argument, to show that 
an individual worshiping assembly of Christians 

• 1 Cor. i. 2. f Gal. i. 2 ; 1 Cor. xvi. 1. 

J Acts viii. 1. § 1 Thes. ii. 14 j Gal. i. 22. 

|| Rom. xvi. 1. ^f 1 Cor. xvi. 19. ** Rev. i. 4. 

ft Rom. xvi. 5 ; Col. iv. 15. JJ Acts xx. 17, 28 ; Phil. i. 1. 



CH"URCH GOVERNMENT. 69 

and not a representative body of church officers or 
members, or the churches of a particular district, 
was first called a church, is the circumstance that 
the place of meeting, or house of worship, was after- 
ward called a church. And though this is not a 
scriptural use of the word, it shows its primitive 
application when the house received the name 
of the assembly. Just as Jewish houses of wor- 
ship were called synagogues, from the assembling 
of the people therein. This is a most unexcep- 
tionable species of historic proof. It can never 
be biased and is often the surest criterion of the 
truth of facts. 

3. ELECTION OE AN APOSTLE IN THE PLACE OF 

JUDAS. 

In the history of the first Christian church in the 
world, as it appears in the Acts of the Apostles,* 
we have a very clear and satisfactory exhibition of 
the Independent or Democratic principle in Church 
Government. It is true, Hierarchy was then impos- 
sible, except it might have been in the Apostles as- 
suming to act for the whole church. But faithful 
to the command of Jesus, f they did not exercise 
power that belonged, inalienably, to the member- 
ship of the church. This first illustration of Inde- 
pendency is found in the election of an Apostle to 
fill the vacancy occasioned by the apostasy of Judas. 
In the introduction of the business we are told that 
the church numbered one hundred and twenty 

* Acts i. f Matthew xx. 25, 26. 



TO INDEPENDENT OB DEMOCRATIC 

members, male and female, some of whose names 
are given.* Peter called their attention to the law 
of God relating to this vacancy, and defined the- 
qualifications of an Apostle, f But who had au- 
thority to choose an Apostle ? Jesus had instructed 
them that " where two or three are gathered to- 
gether in his name, there he would be in the midst 
of them." J What is this but the divine sanction of 
church action in his name ; the voice of a church, 
(not of church rulers,) the voice of God; power 
conferred on the body, on a church, to execute his 
laws ! Two of their number are found to be quali- 
fied, when, after seeking divine direction and con- 
trol, the members of that church vote — exercise 
their inalienable right— Matthias is the man of 
their choice, thenceforth to be an Apostle of our 
Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, at the very beginning of 
the new order of things, as soon as a church, as an 
organic body appears on the page of history, we 
are taught that its members are equal before the 
Law of Christ, and that, even admitted, apostolic 
authority cannot be perpetuated to prevent this 
equality, or, in any way, supersede it.§ Here, then 
is Independency established by divine authority, 
and Hierarchy forbidden. 

4. THE ELECTION OF DEACONS. 

Soon after this, the church at Jerusalem received 
large accessions to their number from all classes 

* Acts i. 13, 14, 15. f Acts i. 20, 21, 22. J Matthew xviii. 20. 
§ The qualifications of an Apostle set forth in Acts i. 21, 22, ren- 
der apostolic succession impossible. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 71 

and ranks of the people, rich and poor, male and 
female, developing a necessity for a new class of 
officers, or, more properly, servants. Said the in- 
spired twelve " to the multitude of the disciples : It 
is not reason that we should leave the Word of 
God and serve tables, wherefore, brethren, look ye 
out among you seven men of honest report, full of 
the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint 
over this business. And the saying pleased the 
whole multitude, and they chose Stephen, etc., 
whom they set before the apostles, etc."* Here, 
again, is an illustration of the Independent or 
Democratic principle — the inherent power of the 
people — a divine exhibition the Independent form 
of Church Government. 

5. THE CHURCH SCATTERED BY PERSECUTION. 

Immediately after the election of the seven dea- 
cons, there arose a " great persecution against the 
church at Jerusalem ; and they were all scattered 
abroad throughout the regions of Judea and Sama- 
ria, except the Apostles, 77 and the Gospel was there- 
by carried to other places, f While the disciples 
were " everywhere preaching the word," and bap- 
tizing believers, J the great leading persecutor 
was converted, and baptized, § the result of which 
was, that "the church, therefore, throughout Judea 
and Galilee, and Samaria, had peace, being built up 
and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the 

* Acts vi. 2 3, 5, 6. f Acts viii. 1, 4. 

X Acts viii. 4. 12. § Acts ix, 5, 18. 



72 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

consolation of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied."* 
The author has here followed the revised version 
of the American Bible Union. "When he first read 
it, he thought it might have been a mistake of the 
printer, or that the revisers had overlooked the 
sense of the passage. But on careful examination, 
he found the new translation, the only one that 
could be made, in accordance with the facts. He 
was, therefore, inclined to yield the point, and 
admit that this passage, thus rendered, was favor- 
able to a Hierarchy ; that here was certainly a 
church, whose bounds included several districts of 
a country. But on further investigation, he could 
find no evidence to sustain this view. On the 
contrary, up to that period no church had been 
organized except at Jerusalem. The members of 
the church at Jerusalem were scattered abroad, 
but retained their connection, while they laid the 
foundation of other churches, in other places. 
They baptized converts, and when that persecution 
had ceased, these converts, thus initiated into the 
kingdom of Christ, organized churches in the several 
places in which they dwelt. f Paul himself, though 
initiated into the kingdom of Christ by baptism, 
did not connect himself with any church, till he came 
to Jerusalem, some three years after his conversion 
and baptism. J As part of this history, the return 
of Paul, and his admission to membership in the 
church at Jerusalem, is worthy of note, as an illustra- 

* Acts ix. 31, revised version. American Bible Union. 
t Gal i. 22. % Acts ix. "26. Gal. i. 18. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. IS 

tion of the Independent or Democratic principle, so 
steadily maintained in the apostolic churches. He 
was known in Jerusalem, by the church, as a bitter, 
relentless persecutor. They had heard of his con- 
version. He came and sought admission to their 
fellowship ; but they were afraid of him, and would 
not believe that he was a disciple. He did not seek 
to join the Apostles — he was already an Apostle* — 
but " the disciples, " the church. When he convinced 
the church, by the testimony of Barnabas, that he 
was a true disciple, " he was with them coming in 
and going out at Jerusalem ;"f they received him 
to their fellowship. It was the act of the church. 
Though an Apostle and the equal of the other 
Apostles — in many respects their superior — he 
could not become a member of the church at Jeru- 
salem, without the consent of the church. Paul 
afterwards became identified with the church at 
Antioch.J 

6. THE FIRST COUNCIL AT JERUSALEM. 

The history of the so called " first ecclesiastical 
council," recorded in the fifteenth chapter of the 
Acts of the Apostles, is supposed to favor the 
Hierarchical form of Church Government. Let us, 
therefore, examine this portion of scripture, and 
see if, indeed, there is any thing in it authorizing, 
or even suggesting this form. 

Certain teachers had gone to Antioch " from 
Judea, who taught the brethren, and said, Except 



* Gal. i. 17, 18, 19. f Acts ix. 28. J Acts xiii. 1. 

7 



74 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye 
cannot be saved." From the 24th verse it appears 
that if not actually sent out by the church at Jeru- 
salem to preach the gospel, they, at least, wished it 
to be so understood. The church at Jerusalem, in 
their letter, acknowledge that they went out from 
them ; and do not deny their being sent by them ; 
but affirm that they had no such doctrine in charge 
from them. 

Paul and Barnabas opposed this new doctrine. 
After much disputation, the church "determined 
that Paul and Barnabas, and certain others of them, 
should go up to Jerusalem, to the Apostles and 
elders, about this question." It was not a matter 
that concerned the ministry merely, but the entire 
membership at Antioch ; and that they did not 
submit to the teaching of their own elders and min- 
istry, nor the ministry of those who came from Je- 
rusalem, but appealed to inspired authority, is the 
strongest evidence that they did not recognize any 
human authority as superior to themselves. We 
have no intimation of any official body — quar- 
terly conference, consistory, church council, session, 
or vestry — in this procedure, as first taking cogni- 
zance of the matter, and, being unable to decide it, 
that an appeal was taken to a higher court. Men 
were chosen, and brought or sent on their way by 
the church at Antioch ; they were sent to do a spe- 
cific work ; they had no discretionary power ; they 
were messengers, a committee, instructed to inquire 
of those competent to answer, " Is it a law of 
Christianity that the Gentiles must be circumcised, 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. T5 

and keep the law of Moses, in order to Be saved?" 
Observe the relation of these two churches. The 
church at Antioch did not send to inquire of the 
church at Jerusalem. They regarded themselves 
as having equal authority with that body. Here is 
the Independency of the apostolic churches. But 
let us follow this committee of the church at Anti- 
och, to Jerusalem. Do we find an ecclesiastical 
council, conference, synod, or other body, composed 
of ministers, or representatives of churches, within 
a certain district, holding their annual convocation ? 
Nothing of the kind. " And when they were come 
to Jerusalem, they were received by the church and 
the Apostles and elders." 

In the presence of the church at Jerusalem, the 
question was discussed by members of that church, 
and two of the Apostles, Peter and James. During 
the discussion, Paul and Barnabas, by permission 
of the body (v. 12), declared "what miracles and 
wonders God had wrought among the Gentiles by 
them." This became the basis of the concluding 
argument by the Apostle James, and we have the 
result in the following words : " Then pleased, it the 
Apostles and elders, with the whole church, to send 
chosen men of their own company to Antioch with 
Paul and Barnabas, namely, Judas, surnamed Bar- 
sabas, and Silas, chief men among the brethren. 
And they wrote letters by them after this manner : 
The Apostles, and elders, and brethren, send greet- 
ing unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles, in 
Antioch, and Syria, and Cilicia, etc. It seemed 
good to us, being assembled with one accord, to send 



76 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

chosen men unto you, etc. We have sent, therefore, 
Judas and Silas, who shall also tell you the same 
things b} T mouth. For it seemed good to the Holy 
Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden 
than these necessary things : That ye abstain from 
meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from 
things strangled, and from fornication : from which 
if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye 
well." Judas and Silas were the committee of the 
church at Jerusalem, to convey this answer to Anti- 
och. Like the committee from Antioch, Judas and 
Silas had no discretionary power. " So, when they 
were dismissed, they came to Antioch ; and when 
they had gathered the multitude together, they de- 
livered the epistle." 

It may be asked, was not that a council at Jerusa- 
lem ? Yes. But who composed it ? Was it Hier- 
archical, as are the Councils, Conferences, Conven- 
tions, Assemblies, Synods, Presbyteries, or Elder- 
ships of modern times ? It was not a representative 
body. It was not composed of delegates from 
different churches and neighborhoods. It was com- 
posed only of the Apostles, and elders and mem- 
bers of the church at Jerusalem. The persons 
sent by the church at Antioch, were not mem- 
bers of it. They had been sent to ask advice ; 
and this meeting of the Apostles, and elders, and 
members of the church at Jerusalem, by direction 
of the Holy Spirit, decided the question, and sent 
two of their number to carry their decree to An- 
tioch. What the Apostles had power to do in this 
case, is not questioned. What they did, is a matter 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. TT 

of history. But the church at Jerusalem was in- 
volved in this question. Those judaizing teachers 
had gone out from them, and had represented them 
falsely. Moreover, it was evident that there were 
some among them, who held the same doctrine. It 
was necessary, therefore, that the question should be 
decided in the church, for themselves, as well as for the 
Gentile converts throughout the world. The appeal 
was to Inspiration. The Holy Spirit gave his deci- 
sion, and henceforth the members of the church 
at Jerusalem, and all other disciples, must abide by 
that decision. This answer, the words and manner 
of it, and mode of communicating it, indicate most 
clearly that these churches were not only distinct, 
and Independent organizations, but were both 
equally dependent on inspiration ; that they had 
no king but Christ, and no law but his word. The 
distinguishing features of this council are not to be 
found in any (nor ever can be found in any) ecclesi- 
astical assembly of church rulers on earth. The 
right and duty of the Apostles to make laws, as in- 
spired men, for the churches, or the world, gives no 
right to uninspired men to enact laws for a church 
of Christ, and there is absolutely nothing in the 
history of this transaction, that in the least degree 
favors the Hierarchical principle in Church Gov- 
ernment. On the contrary, we are here taught, 
that, even in an individual church, whatever is 
of public concernment to a church, is not to be 
done in secret, by the officers alone, or a few of the 
members to the exclusion of the rest ; but that all 



78 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

the members, including the officers, are equal before 
the law of Christ. 

7. THE DISCIPLINE OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCHES. 

Not only does the origin, and common and 
sacred use of the word by which the first Christian 
organizations were distinguished, viz : church, and 
churches, together with the facts of their history 
set forth in the preceding sections, prove their 
Independent character, but the laws and regulations 
given by the Apostles for their direction, put the 
matter beyond doubt. The whole discipline is com- 
mitted to the individual church. Apostolic injunc- 
tions, which cannot be obeyed in any other than an 
Independent church, imply the necessity of such 
a church. Now of this sort are all the rules relating 
to the administration of discipline in the first 
churches. Hence Paul says to the church at Rome: 
" Him that is weak in the faith receive ye."* " Now 
I beseech you brethren mark them which cause 
divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine 
which ye have learned ; and avoid them."f These 
commands can only be fulfilled by a church of the 
Independent order ; and they indicate very clearly 
that the church at Rome was such at that time. 
The epistle to the Corinthians is addressed to "the 
church of God which is at Corinth ;"| and the power 
of excommunication is expressly vested in the 
church and not in the officers : "In the name of our 
Lord Jesus Christ, w r hen ye are gathered together, 

* Rom. i. 7. Rom. xiv. 1. f Rom. xvi. 17. J 1 Cor. 1, 2. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 79 

and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, to deliver such an one to Satan, etc." " Purge 
out the old leaven that ye may be a new lump." 
11 Therefore put away from among yourselves that 
wicked person." "I wrote unto you in an epistle 
not to company with fornicators ; yet not altogether 
with the fornicators of this world, or with the cov- 
etous, or extortioners, or with idolaters ; for then 
must ye needs go out of the world. But now I 
have written unto you not to keep company, if any 
man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or 
covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, 
or an extortioner ; with such an one no not to eat. 
For what have I to do to judge them also that are 
without? do ye not judge them that are within? 
But them that are without God judgeth. There- 
fore put away from among yourselves that wicked 
person."* Here, the power to judge of the applica- 
tion of discipline is expressly stated to be the pre- 
rogative of the church. "Do not ye judge them that 
are within V 7 But in a congregation of the Hier- 
archical order, the power of discipline is in the 
board of officers, and if the congregation would pre- 
sume to interfere with the action of their rulers, 
it would be rebellion. Nay, the whole private 
membership could not put away from their fellow- 
ship the drunkard, the distiller, brewer, or vender 
of intoxicating liquors, or even the grossest adul- 
terer, if the board of officers would think proper to 
retain him. Nay more, the board of officers, sus- 



* 1 Cor. v. chap. 



80 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

tained by the voice of the entire membership, could 
not put away from their fellowship, any one, if the 
higher judicatory decide against their decree. Why 
have an appeal, if the power to revoke or sustain 
the decree of a lower court does not exist ? There- 
fore, a church which cannot obey an 'apostolic 
injunction, cannot be apostolically organized. 

Excommunication, the highest act of discipline, is 
so peculiarly the business of the whole church that 
Paul did not attempt it by virtue of apostolic au- 
thority, but committed it to the saints themselves, 
that there might be an example and model to all 
future ages ; except, when he delivered Hymeneeus 
and Alexander to Satan, that they might learn 
not to blaspheme. No one can doubt apostolic 
authority. But an Apostle exercising this extra- 
ordinary power does not authorize uninspired min- 
isters or church officers to do it. Now, this power 
can only be exercised by a church " gathered to- 
gether in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ with 
the power of the Lord Jesus Christ," as conferred 
in Matt, xviii. 18, 20. Paul directed the church at 
Rome, the church at Corinth, and the church of 
the Thessalonians,* to exercise this power, and inas- 
much as he did not exercise it in behalf of the 
Galatian churches, but only said, " I would they 
were even cut off who trouble you,"f it is a fair 
inference that he exercised it only where there was 
no church, when it was necessary for the good of 
the cause. 

* 2 These, iii. 6, 14. f GM. v. 12. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 81 

Not only is the power to receive members who 
may be qualified, and to excommunicate the dis- 
orderly, to be exercised by the membership, but 
also the power to forgive and restore to fellowship 
the erring and fallen brethren who give evidence 
of repentance.* It is evident, also, from Matt, xviii. 
17-20, and from 1 Cor. vi. chap., that a church is to 
be, and is, the final judge and highest authority 
recognized on earth in all personal difficulties be- 
tween its members. In these, and other instances, 
the instructions and commands given, necessarily 
imply, that the several churches to which they were 
addressed, were Independent ; for to no other could 
they have been applied ; in no other could they have 
been executed. Nor can they now be executed in 
any other. 

It will not be a sufficient answer to this, to say that 
the apostolic discipline may be executed in spirit 
and substance, though not by those apostolically 
appointed. The thing must not only be done, but 
done as commanded. The command must not only 
be obeyed in its primary object, but in the appointed 
manner, by the divinely appointed agents. Here 
we have not only the thing commanded to be done, 
but the persons commanded to do it. We may as 
well say, that we need not execute apostolic disci- 
pline, as that it may be done by those not apostoli- 
cally appointed. The judges are here as clearly 
appointed as the thing to be judged. To fulfil a 
law, we must not only do the thing the law requires, 



* 2 Cor. ii. 6, 7, 8 ; Gal. vi. 1. 



82 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

but in the manner the law directs. The law of the 
State directs the death of the murderer, but does 
not warrant any but those legally appointed to try, 
condemn, and execute him. The King convokes 
his parliament ; but the senators, intent on their 
rural amusements, or the improvement of their 
estates, send their stewards. They meet; they 
enact laws ; they send them to the King. Will he, 
will the constitution, recognize such legislators ? 
And will the Lord Jesus Christ recognize the 
proceedings of unconstitutional bodies he has 
never authorized, and which have no place in his 
laws ? Shall they be excused, who, on account of 
business, amusement, or indolence, neglect their 
duty as members of the church of Christ ? They 
have no more right to delegate the performance of 
the duty of discipline, than of any other duty they 
owe to society, to their family, or to God. Let it 
never be forgotten, that the RIGHTS, DUTIES and 
PRIVILEGES of all saints, in their several spheres 
of action, are INALIENABLE. Would Christians 
let any one persuade them that they were to be 
present in heaven by representation only ? It would 
be as easy to prove this, as that they might delegate 
their duties as saints and church members, to 
others, members or not. In all the New Testament 
there is not a shadow of a representative, or any 
other uninspired authoritative body, in, or over 
any church, or churches of Christ. To attend to 
the affairs of a church, is the privilege of all its 
members. It argues ingratitude, contempt, and 
indifference, to neglect, or transfer that privilege 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 83 

to others. It is also a duty, and each member is 
answerable for the personal discharge of it. Every 
member is commissioned to attend to the affairs 
of his Master's kingdom in concert with his breth- 
ren. If any neglect their duty, or pretend to 
delegate others to represent them, they are guilty 
of disobedience to Christ, and indifference to his 
laws, interest, and honor ; and to alter the consti- 
tution of his church, or to assume the right, by 
invasion, or to accept by delegation, to act for 
it, is treason and usurpation ; it is to act, not only 
without, but contrary to, the King's command. 
But the very idea of transference of duty, in re- 
ligious matters, is absurd. One cannot think, 
judge, or act for another with respect to religious 
things. If he can in one thing, he can in another — 
and who will prescribe the limit ? Who can dele- 
gate another to do his repenting, praying, believing, 
or being baptized ? If he cannot in these, how 
can he in any other, especially when in the whole 
New Testament there is not even a hint that such 
delegation was practiced, or even probable. 

Not only is discipline and all church power 
committed to the individual church, but every 
direction, command, and exhortation is suited to 
such alone. There are laws sufficient in the New 
Testament for the government and direction of 
an Independent church, but not a single rule, or 
precept, or example, for the government of a number 
of churches consolidated. Not a single rule, precept, 
or example for an Official Board or Quarterly Con- 
ference, Vestry, Session, Church Council, Consis- 



84 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

tory ; a Classis, Presbytery, Eldership, Synod, Con- 
ference, Assembly, Convention, — General, Annual, 
or otherwise — is to be found in the New Testament. 
All its church rules and examples are applicable to 
individual congregations only. Such churches 
have either precept or example for every case that 
can possibly occur within their jurisdiction. They 
are not obliged to proceed a single step on doubtful 
ground. Thus the epistles to the several churches 
are addressed to individual churches, and speak 
uniformly, either of individual duties, or reciprocal 
duties of church members, and of the duties of the 
elders to the flock, and of the flock to the elders. 
Now if there were, or were to be, national churches, 
with the bodies that pertain to them, is it not 
strange that we have no rules for their government 
or procedure ; that neither elders or other members 
have direction as to their relation to them ? The 
individual flock is called on to obey their pastors, 
but never is either flock or shepherd commanded to 
obey a superior assembly of any kind nor one 
shepherd to obey another as a " superior in 
office."* The Apostles frequently and earnestly 
inculcate love among church members, and warn 
them against schism and division. Not a w T ord, 
however, do they say as to the duty of union among 
several churches under the same government, or 
earthly head, nor the sin of one church separating 
from another. This is plain proof that they were 

* See The Book of Common Prayer, Methodist Episcopal Discipline, 
United Brethren Discipline, and Evangelical Association's Discipline. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 85 

not then externally joined. What Paul says in 
1 Cor. i. 10, has reference, and can only be applica- 
ble to members of an individual church going into 
cabals and parties in the same church. It has no 
reference to one church separating from another, 
or to an individual withdrawing from one church 
and joining another. On the contrary, this is not 
only not condemned here, but in no other part of 
God's word; but when such separation takes place, 
for valid scriptural reasons, it is of incalculable 
advantage to individuals, to churches, and com- 
munities. We cannot apply justly, to consolidated 
churches, that which is addressed only to an indi- 
vidual church. Either the Scriptures are lame 
in their silence, or such consolidated churches or 
Hierarchies are unscriptural. 

8. APOSTOLIC HINTS. 

There are various other hints which will occur to 
the reader, who is accustomed to mine into the 
Word of God, and weigh each particle as more pre- 
cious than gold. Truth is ever consistent, and 
that opinion which does not gain strength from a 
progressive acquaintance with the Scriptures, is not 
likely to be a scripture truth. That hypothesis 
that forbids a minute attention to the most casual 
and indirect circumstance, divinely recorded, can- 
not be well founded. Thus in 2 Cor. iii. 1, the 
Apostle reasons that he did not, like others, need 
commendatory letters either to, or from, the church 
at Corinth. Now the manner of the Apostle's 
speaking would have been improper, if the church 

8 



86 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

at Corinth had been under a session, church coun- 
cil, or other Hierarchical body. He speaks of com- 
mendatory letters as being necessary to some, as 
coming from a church, but not to him. In Hier- 
archies, such letters to ministers come from the 
particular ruling body of which they are members, 
as from the Conference, Synod, Presbytery, etc., 
and in the case of a private member, from the 
Church Council, Session, Vestry, or the minister in 
charge. But when Apollos was disposed to go into 
Achaia he received commendatory letters from " the 
brethren" at Ephesus "to the disciples." 

The whole strain of the letters of Paul to the 
churches, shows them to have been Independent. 
He uniformly addresses, praises, or blames the 
church itself, and never a church council, session, 
or official board of any sort, large or small. In 
1 Cor. v. and xi. chapters, he blames the whole 
membership of that church, with respect to the in- 
cestuous person, and their irregularities in eating 
Lord's supper. Had this church been under the 
control of a Quarterly Conference, Church Council, 
Session, or Vestry, the membership could not have 
been blamed ; for they would have had no authority, 
in that case, to put away such wicked person. 
The authority rests with the governing power, and 
that, the Apostle would have blamed. If improper 
persons are admitted to membership and commu- 
nion in a church, in which all the power of receiving 
members is in the hands of the officers, what member 
blames himself for it? If he disapproves of it, 
he exclaims against the officers. He bears none of 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 87 

the responsibility. In like manner, when our Lord 
addressed the seven churches of Asia in the Book 
of Revelation, he praised or blamed them indivi- 
dually. He did not censure one for the errors of 
another, though, with great severity, he repriman- 
ded each church for the errors of even a part of 
itself. He charged the whole church as guilty in 
retaining an erroneous or profligate member. 

If these churches had been consolidated as a Hier- 
archy, they would all have been chargeable with the 
faults and defects of each, as much as a whole 
individual church is chargeable with the errors of 
one of its members. Neither did he call on one 
church to reform another, but each to reform itself. 
Therefore these churches were Independent. 



88 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



CHAPTER V. 

THE ORDER OF LAY-RULING ELDERS IN THE PRESBY- 
TERIAN CHURCH. (LUTHERAN, ETC.) 

Says Dr. Miller: " Presbyterianism is a term 
which primarily refers to the form of Church 
Government. That is a Presbyterian church, in 
which the Presbytery is the radical and leading 
judicatory: in which teaching and ruling presby- 
ters or elders have committed to them the watch- 
care of the whole flock ; in which all the ministers 
of the word and sacraments are equal ; in which 
ruling elders, as the representatives of the people, 
form part of all ecclesiastical assemblies, and par- 
take in all authoritative acts, equally with the 
teaching elders ; and in which, by a series of 
judicatories, rising one above the other, each 
church is under the watchcare of its appropriate 
judicatory, and the whole body, (national, he 
means,) by a system of review and control, is bound 
together as one homogeneous community. 77 "In 
the Presbyterian church, the government and dis- 
cipline of each congregation is committed to a 
bench of elders, consisting of eight or ten of the 
most pious, enlightened, wise, prudent, and grave 
members of the church. They constitute, with their 
pastor at their head, a judicial body, who maintain 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 89 

an official inspection over the members of the 
church, and deliberately sit in judgment on all 
those delicate, and yet momentous cases, which are 
connected with receiving, admonishing, rebuking, 
suspending, excommunicating, and dismissing the 
members of the flock, committed to their care."* 

In quoting thus largely from Dr. Miller, Presby- 
terians are permitted to speak for themselves. But 
do these " ecclesiastical assemblies" — Presbyteries, 
Synods, and General Assembliesf — hold their meet- 
ings simply as "judicatories?" Are their "au- 
thoritative acts" only those of " review and con- 
trol?" Are they not also legislative bodies? 
Says the " Confession of Faith :" " It belongeth 
unto Synods and Councils ministerially to determine 
controversies of faith and conscience ; to set down 
rules and directions for the better ordering of the 
public worship of God, and government of his 
church." Dr. Miller makes their acts "authorita- 
tive." The Presbyterian Board of Publication pub- 
lish and recommend to every minister and elder a 
work entitled " A collection of the Acts, Deliver- 
ances, and Testimonies of the Supreme Judicatory 
of the Presbyterian church, from its origin in 
America to the present time, with notes and docu- 
ments, explanatory and historical: constituting 
a complete illustration of her polity, faith, and 
history. By the Rev. Samuel Baird, 8vo., etc. 

* Miller on Presbyterianism and Baptism, pp. 8, 9, 59. Presby- 
terian Board of Publication. 

f Also Church Councils, Consistories, Classes, Synods, local and 
general, of the Lutheran and Reformed churches. 



90 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

This work contains a full exhibition of all that the 
church has, either by precedent or act, decided, 
upon the principles of her faith and order, and the 
rules of her discipline," etc.* Thus we are left with- 
out doubt ; the Presbyterian judicatories are (the 
highest at least) legislative in their character. 

The passage of scripture regarded as establishing 
the orders of preaching or teaching elders, and 
ruling or lay Elders, is 1 Tirn. v. IT: " Let the 
elders that rule well, be counted worthy of double 
honor, especially they who labour in word and doc- 
trine." It is said, " Here we find a class of elders 
distinctly spoken of, who ' ruled well/ but did not 
labor in word and doctrine. "f Here, then, ac- 
cording to Presbyterian interpretation, is an evident 
distinction between Teaching and Ruling Elders. 
There are elders to teach, and elders to rule. Let 
us examine this interpretation. 

1. CHURCH RULERS NOT LEGISLATORS. 

Allowing the Presbyterian explanation of this 
text, in its utmost latitude, what does it make? 
Granting that there should be a body of lay elders 
to join with the preaching elders in ruling the church, 
does this authorize them to legislate, to pass " acts," 
make laws, rules, and regulations for a congregation, 
or a number of congregations associated? Their 
being church rulers does not make them church 
legislators. On the supposition that they are rulers, 

• See the advertisement of the work — and the work itself. 
f Miller on Presbyterianism and Baptism, p. 60. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 91 

their business would be to carry the laws of Christ 
into effect, not to make laws. 

Neither would this give any countenance to a 
Session, exclusively judging of the application of 
discipline, and engrossing the whole power of the 
church into their own hands. Whether the elders 
of a congregation be all pastors, or some ruling, 
and others teaching elders, to neither would be- 
long the sole right of judging, when the laws of 
Christ were to be applied. If a member is accused, 
the whole church would judge of the case, according 
to the laws of Christ : and if found guilty, the 
business of the church rulers would be to execute 
the law of Christ, which the church has judged ap- 
plicable. But these elders, as part of the " Supreme 
Judicatory," not only make laws, but are judge, 
jury, and executive ; the most tyrannical procedure 
conceivable. In their " authoritative acts of review 
and control," the brethren, the people, are not con- 
sulted. They may lodge complaint against an of- 
fender, and appear as witnesses, that is all ; and if 
an}' one, not an elder, is accused and arraigned, he 
cannot be tried by a jury of his peers. It is very 
clear, according to their own interpretation of this 
text, that there is no foundation for the legislative, 
or exclusive judicial authority of the elders, either 
as a church session, or higher court. 

2. IF RULERS, THEN THEY ARE THE PASTORS. 

Allowing from this text an order of ruling elders, 
distinct from teaching elders, it gives no counte- 
nance to a body of what are called "lay elders;" 



92 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

that is, men not invested with the pastoral office. 
Such ruling elders would be as really pastors, 
bishops, ministers, etc., as the preaching elders. 
The office of a preaching elder would not be supe- 
rior to that of a ruling elder. The ruling elder 
would be pastor of the church, invested with the 
pastoral character, as fully as the preaching elder. 
The only legitimate conclusion that could be drawn 
from this interpretation is, that in every church 
there should be two orders of ministers, the one for 
ruling, the other for preaching : and that neither of 
these have the right to interfere in the department 
of the other. The preaching elder is not to rule, 
any more than the ruling elder is to preach. The 
preaching elder should not preside in the Session : 
nay, he should have no seat in it, any more than the 
ruling elder should have a seat in the pulpit. 

Moreover, from this interpretation, the higher ju- 
dicatories — Presbyteries, Synods, and General As- 
semblies — should be composed of ruling elders, and 
no others. All, then, that can be fairly inferred 
from this interpretation is, that in the pastoral 
office, there are two distinct departments, which 
should not interfere with each other ; that those ap- 
pointed to preach, should preach ; and those ap- 
pointed to rule, should rule ; which, instead of serv- 
ing the Presbyterian sj^stem, would overthrow it 
from the foundation. If we should allow that there 
is, in this text, an order of ruling elders, distinct 
from preaching elders, such ruling elders would be 
pastors, or bishops, and nothing like the elders of a 
Presbyterian church. Nay, the ruling elders would 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 93 

be more eminently, if not exclusively, the bishops, 
or overseers. Oversight belongs rather to the ruler, 
than to the preacher. 

3. CAN TWO ORDERS, SO "DIFFERENT, AS PREACHIN0 AND 
RULING ELDERS, BR CALLED BY THE SAME NAME ? 

Is it possible that two orders so different as that 
of ministers and ruling elders, should be called in- 
variably in the New Testament by the same name ? 
Is this like the perspicuity of the word of God ? Is 
it probable that when the ISTew Testament writers 
employ so many words to denote the same office : 
as bishop, elder, pastor, etc., they could not afford 
a distinct name for the office of lay or ruling 
elder, if it was apostolic ? Is this agreeable to the 
use of any language on any subject ? Especially is 
it agreeable to the genius of the philosophic lan- 
guage of Greece, where every shade of difference in 
idea is marked by a different word, expressive of 
it ? The English reader of the most common 
understanding must see, that is impossible for the 
Greek word " presbuteros," to denote two so 
widely different officers from the use of our own 
word elder. The Greek word "presbuteros" is ex- 
actly translated by our word elder, and in the 
estimation of Presbyterians, must include both 
preaching and lay elder ; yet to avoid confusion they 
use this word elder exclusively to designate the 
ruling or lay elders. What Presbyterian speaks 
promiscuously of ministers and elders by the com- 
mon name of elder ? Or who would understand 
him if he did ? Yet such undefined, indeterminate 



94 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

language they do not scruple to put into the mouth 
of the Holy Spirit. If ever they call their minister 
elder, they must, to prevent obscurity, prefix the 
word "lay," or "ruling" to it, when they do not 
mean the ministry. Now if we cannot talk in plain 
English of Presbyterian ministers and elders by the 
same name, is it possible that the ISTew Testament 
should be guilty of the same obscurity ? 

4. CAN THEIR QUALIFICATIONS BE INCLUDED IN THE 
SAME DESCRIPTION? 

If there had been two orders so distinct as that 
of preaching and ruling elders, in the apostolic 
churches, is it possible that their offices and quali- 
fications should be included in the same description ? 
In describing the office of elder and his qualifica- 
tions, no notice is taken of two orders, one as re- 
quiring a different kind of qualification from the 
other. They are called on, without exception, to 
" feed the flock," taking the oversight, etc.," and all 
are required to be " didaktikos," " apt (or fit) to 
teach," which, as Dr. Campbell has observed, could 
hardly be the case if some of them were to have no 
concern in teaching. It is not said that the preach- 
ing elder must have such and such qualifications, 
and the ruling elder different qualifications, and 
each do so and so, according to their respective 
offices ; but " the elder ;" which must include every 
distinction of elder. See 1 Pet. v. : 1 Tim. iii. v. 14, 
v. 1?, Tit. i. ; Acts xx. 17—36. All Presbyterians 
hold that the words elder and bishop are used in- 
terchangeably in the New Testament, and designate 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 95 

one and the same office ;* so that if there be two 
orders of elders, there must be three distinct orders, 
in every scripturally organized church. There is 
incontestibly an order of deacons. If it be said the 
ruling elder is the same as the deacon it must be 
proved. No man has authority to combine any two 
offices in one, any more than to make a new order 
over the rest. A scripture deacon is an officer in a 
church of Christ, for managing its temporal affairs 
and attending to the wants of its poor. He has no 
concern in the ruling of the church, more than the 
rest of the members ; on the contrary as the term 
"diakonos" (waiting servant) signifies, he is the 
servant of the church. In the Presbyterian church 
lay elders are rulers of the church. In the higher 
courts they are regarded by some as the representa- 
tives of the people ; by others as the representatives 
of their own order ; it is therefore absurd to make 
thA ruling elder and deacon one and the same office, 
seeing they extend the office of ruling elder so much 
further. If the ruling elder is the same as the dea- 
con let him do the deacon's office only. Besides, if 
he be the deacon why is he called elder ? Has not 
the father the best right to name the child ? Is not 
the Spirit of Him who instituted the office, the best 
judge of the most fitting name ? Especially, as 
the name elder was appropriated to another order 
in the church, w T hy was that name chosen ? If men 
thought they could give a more proper and decent 
name to this office than the Spirit of God had done 

* Miller on Presb. and Bap., pp. 12, 17. 



96- INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

— which is not a very modest supposition — why did 
they take that which he had assigned to pastors ? 
The elders and deacons are officers distinct in them- 
selves, and separated in the New Testament. 
(Phil. i. 1.) 

5. ALL ELDERS WORTHY OF SUPPORT. 

The verse following (18th) requires us to under- 
stand the word translated " honor/' in the nth 
verse, as signifying honorable maintenance. (Suf- 
ficient, OR AMPLE PASTORAL SUPPORT.) The ApOS- 

tle here, in quoting from the law of Moses, respect- 
ing the ox employed in treading out the corn, and 
from the words of our Lord, with respect to those 
engaged in preaching his word, proves that all the 
elders are worthy of this (" time") honorable main- 
tenance. The argument drawn from this 18th verse, 
goes directly to show that all those elders spoken 
of, are worthy of honorable maintenance. It does 
not, indeed, require that a church, in every situation, 
is to support all its laborers. Some may not need 
it; or a church may not be able to support more 
than one pastor. There is nothing to prevent it 
from using the labors of some who support them- 
selves by lawful industry ; but the passage un- 
doubtedly implies that all the elders are worthy of 
maintenance, and if they need, and the church can 
give, it is their right. Do Presbyterians think it 
their duty to support their elders, or will any one 
say, that, because of their labors in the church, they 
are worthy of such maintenance? If not, they 
cannot be the elders of whom the Apostle speaks. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 97 

Besides, the 18th verse proves, incontestibly, that 
the elders spoken of in the Hth verse, have the 
same pastoral character, and are employed in the 
same work; all are "treaders out of the corn,' 7 
and all are "laborers worthy of reward." In what 
manner do the ruling, or lay elders of the Presb} 7 - 
terian church (or any other church) " tread out 
the corn?" In what manner do the most conscien- 
tious of them "labor" so as to be "worthy of 
reward?" 

Should it be said that the illustration in the 
18th verse applies onlj' to the latter part of the 
lfth verse, it is a sufficient answer to say, that 
besides the necessity of referring it to the whole 
verse, the texts quoted by the Apostle would not 
be relevant in that view. They go to prove the pro- 
priety of support in general, and not a superiority 
of support. 

6. BUT ONE ORDER OF ELDERS. 

Hitherto this text has been treated as if it did 
create two orders of elders, and even on that sup- 
position, that it constituted two orders of pastors 
in every church, and not a separate order of what 
are called ruling elders. But it neither proves nor 
admits a distinction of order among the elders 
spoken of; nor does any other text in the New 
Testament. The distinction is not between ruling 
elders and preaching elders ; but between those who 
discharge the office well in general, and those who 
are particularly employed and distinguished for 
talents and labor, in that difficult, important, and 



98 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

laborious branch of office, the preaching continually 
to public assemblies. In every perfectly organized 
apostolic church, there was a plurality of elders or 
pastors of different gifts. (See Acts xiv. 23 ; xv. 23 ; 
xx. IT ; Phil. i. 1 ; Titus i.) Each of these sustained 
the whole pastoral office or character, and might 
occasionally be employed in any part of it, though 
usually employed in the department for which he 
was best fitted. 

The advantages which this plurality of pastors 
afforded to the churches are obvious and admirable. 
They enjoyed a diversity of gifts ; and if any of 
their elders were absent, sick, or should die, or, for 
some time, they could not procure or support as 
many as were necessary, they were not without 
pastoral care. Churches which have not this plu- 
rality of pastors, are not aware of the disadvan- 
tages under which they labor. At the same time, 
it may be remarked, that churches which have a 
plurality of elders or pastors, do not know how to 
use them. They do not assign to each the peculiar 
work for which he is best qualified, and thus their 
plurality of elders is rather suited to the indolence 
of the laborer, than the edification of the church. 
This being the case, the reason of the injunction of 
the text is obvious, and important. All such elders 
" are worthy of honorable maintenance ;" those who 
are distinguished in their office, have a right to a 
double portion ; especially those who are peculiarly 
and usually employed in preaching. This requires 
peculiar, and perhaps rarer talents ; much more 
time, study, and expense, to qualify them for the 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 99 

office ; has much greater labor and fatigue ; incurs 
more expense by frequent excursions ; exposes much 
more to public censure and odium ; and demands 
much more intense and constant application to fur- 
nish the mind, so as to be "a workman that need 
not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 
To discharge this part of the office in a proper 
manner, requires a life solely devoted to it. 

But do we not read, " Let the elders who rule 
well," etc.? Are they not to rule? The word 
translated "rule," is " proestotes," from " pro- 
istemi," (to set before.) "In Titus iii. 8, 14, it is 
used by Paul to represent that self-control which 
enables a Christian to ' maintain'* the habit of good 
works." "Proestos," is rather a military, than a civil 
officer; a commander in the field, than a president 
of an assembly. "Proidros," would be the better 
word for a president of an assembly. Accordingly, 
in the Athenian Council of 500, the seven of the 
Prytanes chosen by lot to preside every week, were 
called " Proidroi," and the president of the day 
was called "Epistates." But this is a too peaceful 
and inactive office to give a name to Christ's offi- 
cers. They are never so called in the New Testa- 
ment. 

" Proestos" is a word which fully expresses their 
arduous, dangerous, and honorable office. It signi- 
fies an officer who goes before his men, and stands 
in the front of the battle. He encourages them by 
his example, and exhortations, and leads them into 

* " To take the lead." Revised version. American Bible Union. 



100 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

action. The elder in the church of Christ, like a 
military officer, trains and disciplines his troops ; 
supplies them with wholesome provisions ; instructs 
them in the will of their King, whose laws he makes 
known as the rules of their conduct ; and prepares 
them for battle by his public preaching. The word 
translated "rule," in this verse , is not f therefore , to 
be referred to any one part of the pastoral office, 
but to the office in general. That it refers to the 
office in general, is evident from 1 Thess. v. 12, 
where the same persons who are said to labor among 
them, and admonish them, are also called "pro- 
isamenous."* It is indeed a matter of astonish- 
ment, that any one familiar with the Greek Testa- 
ment should regard " proestotes" as referring to 
an order of inferior preachers. There is not a 
higher word in the New Testament to denote the 
pastoral office. They are Christ's military officers. 
For this reason, in Heb. xiii, IT. Paul calls them 
" egoumenois," {military 1 leaders.) But what fit- 
ness, or likeness to military leaders, is the office 
of lay elder? The sense of the verse may be 
illustrated by a simile : " Let the Kings who rule 
well, be accounted worthy of double honor, es- 
pecially those who distinguish themselves as pro- 
tectors of religious liberty." Here, "rule well," 
refers to the whole kingly office, and the word, 
"especially," distinguishes a particular department 
of the duty of a King. "Let virtuous and dis- 

* Preside — take the lead — are over. Revised version. American 
Bible Union. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 101 

tinguished legislators be esteemed worthy of 
double honor, especially those who labor for the 
abolition of the slave trade." Who would infer 
from this that members of a legislative body were 
each confined to a particular department. Each 
member has the right to speak and vote on all 
subjects, though his time and talents may be chiefly 
employed on his favorite subject. 

In looking at the grammatical construction of this 
verse we see that " oikopiontes" has " oikalosproestotes 
presbuteroi" and not merely " presbuteroi" for its 
antecedent : " Let the ivell ruling elders be ^counted 
worthy of double honor, especially they (those ivell 
ruling elders) who labor in word and teaching." 
If a general after a victory should write to the 
Secretary of War: " The officers merit the highest 
praise, especially the general officers," he would write 
sense. But how ridiculous to say : " The subaltern 
officers merit the highest praise, especially the 
general officers." The interpretation of this text 
which makes it authority for an order of lay elders, 
is exactly like this latter example, and would make 
the text say: " Let the ruling elders he counted 
worthy of double honor, especially the preaching 
elders." " Malista" (especially) is properly used 
when a part is distinguished out of the whole ; or, 
one out of a number. Compare this passage with 
2 Tim. iv. 13, " Bring with you the cloak, and the 
books, especially the parchments." Here the 
generic word books includes the parchments as a 
particular kind of books he desired him to bring. 



102 



[DEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



How ridiculous to have said, " Bring the cloak, espe- 
cially the parchments.' * 

Thus granting Presbyterians their own interpreta- 
tion of 1 Tim. v. 17, and that it fully establishes an 
order of ruling or lay elders, who are not pastors, it 
has been conclusively shown, that even this does 
not give them authority to judge in all matters for 
the church or congregation. Even in this case, the 
whole church should judge, and these officers carry 
their decision into execution. Again, that granting 
the exclusive management of church affairs to these 
elders gives them no authority to legislate, be- 
cause the whole church, or the united voice of 
all the churches on earth, have no right to make 
the slightest alteration, amendment, or addition, 
with respect to the laws of Christ's church. 
Further, that granting a distinction of order in 
the elders to be established by this verse, it would 
make two orders of pastors, and not a distinct 
order of ruling or lay elders. And, lastly, that a 
distinction of order of any kind among elders, is 
neither necessary, probable, nor possible from this 
verse, (1 Tim. v. IT,) nor indeed from any other 
part of the New Testament. It supposes a plurality 
of pastors in every perfectly organized church, who, 
having different gifts, should be usually employed 
in that department for which each is best qualified ; 
that there should be a gradation of support accord- 
ing to talents, zeal, and diligence ; and that the 
highest is due to those who are distinguished by 
constant " labor in word and doctrine." This 
plurality of pastors is called "the Presbytery," or 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 103 

" Eldership" (1 Tim. iv. 14). The modern signifi- 
cation or use of these words, as consisting of a con- 
vocation of ministers and representatives (ruling 
elders) of the congregations of a whole district, is 
not known in the New Testament, nor in the first 
ages of Christianity. 

If, therefore, God has not instituted or authorized, 
either by precept or example, an order of ruling 
elders in any of his churches, who will presume to 
institute such an order, perpetuate it, or assume its 
prerogatives ; and especially, when he has forbidden 
it,* and denounced, against all such assumption of 
authority over his people, most awful penalties ?f 

* Matt. xx. 25, 26.; xxiii. 8-11. f 2 Thess. ii. ; Rev. xxii. 18. 



104 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



CHAPTER VI. 



OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. 



1. " TOO MANY SECTS ALREADY." 

It is said "there are too many sects already, and 
we should endeavor to unite those already formed." 
This is true. There are too many sects, and it is 
our duty to endeavor to unite Christians in all 
things. But how is this to be done ? Is it by each 
party proposing to throw awa} r a part of what they 
regard as the truth, and embrace a little of what 
they consider erroneous, that they may splice up a 
worldly union? Is it to be accomplished by the 
church rulers of different sects meeting to compare 
their differences, like the leaders of a great political 
party ? Is it by such propositions as this : "I will 
give up so much, do you give up so much, and we 
will meet?" Is this the scriptural way to bring 
about union and lessen the number of sects ? Is it 
not rather, for each to appeal to the Word of God, 
and meet on that common ground? Should not 
the language be : " We cannot all be right, let us then 
try our systems by the standard of truth, adopt 
whatever it recommends, and reject whatever it 
condemns ?" Truly it is a very modest way of 
reasoning, that because there are so many sects 
already, there is no room for introducing the model 






CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 105 

which Christ left us in the apostolic churches! 
When Christians are brought to feel it their duty 
to cease from man, and renounce every standard but 
the Bible, they will not be long in uniting. Every 
union that is attempted or effected on any other 
basis, is not o£ God, and cannot stand. 

2. "DANGER OF SKEPTICISM." 

It is said, that, "to call in question the opin- 
ions of our forefathers, and scrutinize them so 
severely, will excite a spirit of innovation, which 
will lead to skepticism." It is a very astonishing 
thing that the habit of searching the Word of God, 
relying implicitly on it, and comparing all human 
opinions with this standard, must lead to skepti- 
cism. As well might it be said, that a habit of 
trusting God will lead to distrusting him ! The 
Scriptures, then, are to blame for commending the 
Bereans "for searching the Scriptures daily, whether 
these things were so!" If the reformers of the 
16th century had been afraid of these consequences, 
they never would have dared to question the ancient 
usages of their fathers, and to have condemned 
them by the Word of God. Never can any hurt 
arise from searching the Scriptures, and a habit of 
being regulated by them. " To the law and to the 
testimony, etc." 

"But may there not be extremes in this ?" 
it is asked. Yes, but these extremes do not con- 
sist in comparing every human opinion, about 
Divine things, with the Word of God; in reject- 
ing every tittle of what is contrary to this stand- 



106 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

ard ; and adopting the merest minutia of what is 
there revealed. To run into extremes here, must 
be to go farther than the Scriptures. While we 
keep on this ground, we cannot advance too far. 
In searching the Scriptures, on every subject, there 
is great need of humility, and a consciousness of 
our own nothingness in the sight of the Infinite 
God. If ever we begin the search with a desire to 
go beyond others, and have the honor to be more 
sharp-sighted than those who preceded us, we shall 
certainly err. The natural pride of the human 
heart will show itself in various ways, and it is not 
strange that it should sometimes lead good men into 
singularities. The Scriptures are plain, but it is 
only " the Spirit" that can "lead us into all truth." 
In searching the Scriptures for the mind of God, 
we should never neglect to ask, not formally, 
but earnestly and continually, for the guidance 
of that heavenly conductor. 0, what prayer ! what 
self-abasement ! what a thirst after truth ! what 
self-denial, are necessary in those who would ad- 
vance in the knowledge of Divine things ! If we 
depend on our own superior sagacity ; if we prize 
not the smallest scripture truth as more precious 
than rubies, and are not ready to give up the dear- 
est earthly possessions and connections, rather than 
part with it ; if we have not simplicity of view, and 
a single eye to the glory of God, it will not be 
strange if we go astray in our search. But if we 
are willing to receive the truth at the greatest risk, 
and, conscious of our weakness, incessantly and 
importunately crave the direction of the Holy 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 107 

Spirit, the God of truth will not suffer us to be led 
astray. While, therefore, we, like the noble Bere- 
ans, search the Scriptures for ourselves, let us not 
be high-minded, but humbly wait at the feet of Jesus, 
to learn wisdom from his lips. 

3. "GOVERNING BODIES PRESERVATIVE." 

It is alleged, that, "by having some governing 
bodies, as Conferences, Councils, Synods, etc., etc., 
they are better able to repress heresy, preserve 
purity of doctrine, and authoritatively settle dis- 
putes between individuals and congregations, etc." 
This objection has, in part, been anticipated in 
Chapter II. It may not be amiss to spend a little 
more time in considering it in this place. It is per- 
tinent to ask, how have these bodies the power 
claimed ? Is it by force, or persuasion ? If it is 
by persuasion, then the Independents enjoy it in its 
utmost latitude. If it is by force, then the Gospel 
disclaims it ; Christ abhors it ; it is inconsistent 
with the whole letter and spirit of the Gospel. 
This third objection becomes more definite in saying 
that, " In the multitude of counsellors there is 
safety ; that several congregations must have more 
wisdom than one ; and that an assembly of learned 
men must be better qualified to transact church 
business, than an ignorant multitude." This rea- 
soning might have force, if there was any thing left 
for the wisdom of man to do. Generally, Christians 
are the "weak things of the world," and, of ail 
men living, are the least qualified for the arduous 
duty of legislation. But God has left no such 



108 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

thing to be done by either the learned, or the un- 
learned. Every necessary law and direction are given, 
and nothing more is necessary than to judge of their 
application, to which the most ordinary capacity is 
equal, in the use of the appointed means, and under 
the promised guidance of the Holy Spirit. Poor, 
despised Christians would, indeed, be out of place 
in any of the so-called church judicatories. But 
the meanest and most ignorant, are able to judge of 
any case of discipline that can occur in Christ's 
house ; for it is said, " They shall all be taught of 
God."* The reasoning of Paul is conclusive on 
this point. He teaches that even the weaker saints 
in an individual, local church, are capable of judg- 
ing, not merely of the spiritual matters of a church, 
but also of settling civil disputes of the brethren. 
In the sixth chap, of 1st Corinthians, we are taught 
that " the saints" — not the church offfcers, or min- 
isters ; not the rich saints, or the learned saints, — 
but simply "the saints, shall judge the world," and 
also "angels," "How much more the things of 
this life ?" " If ye, then, have judgment of things 
pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are 
least esteemed in the church." We are not to sup- 
pose from this, that a church is always to select 
"the least esteemed" for the arbitration of civil 
differences. The spirit of the passage is this : Dif- 
ferences among brethren should be settled by arbi- 
tration of the church, and not by the world, or 
persons outside of the church. Some of the 

* John vi. 45. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 109 

Corinthians had transgressed this rule by appealing 
to the civil law, and had thus shown that they did not 
regard any of their brethren fit for that business. 
The Apostle is excited at this, that those who were 
to judge wicked men and angels, as assizors with 
Christ in the great day, were unfit to judge in such 
comparatively trivial matters ; and, to show that he 
regarded all Christians as qualified for this business, 
he bid them choose from among themselves, even 
those who were accounted the weakest. As if he 
had said, " To show you that they are wise in whom 
the Spirit of God dwells, let ' the least esteemed' 
brethren be singled out on any emergency, and 
they will wisely determine the matter." If, therefore, 
the weakest brethren are qualified to decide in 
matters of property, without appealing to the su- 
perior learning or wisdom of a Synod, Presbytery, 
Conference, or other official board of so-called 
church rulers, nay, without appealing to the civil 
law, much more are they qualified to judge of every 
thing in the discipline of a church of Jesus Christ. 

4. " HIERARCHIES HAVE DONE MUCH GOOD." 

It is asked, " Have not these Hierarchies done 
much good in the world?" Some of them have 

done INFINITE AND INCALCULABLE HARM. But to 

answer the question, let us ask another : Was it the 
Hierarchies that did the good claimed ? Was it 
because the persons who labored in the vineyard of 
the Lord were in connection with a Hierarchy, 
that good resulted from their labors ? All the real 
good that has been done in the world to the souls 
10 



110 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

of men, has been done by the instrumentality of the 
Gospel. Men " called of God" independent of, yet 
it may be, in connection with a Hierarchy, gener- 
ally at great personal sacrifice, and with many 
privations have preached " Christ crucified, * * * 
the power of God and the wisdom of God," and, " it 
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save 
them that believe." The declaration of the Apos- 
tle, and the evidence afforded by the history of the 
preaching of the Gospel, amount to absolute de- 
monstration, that it is not the human device of 
Hierarchy, but the Divine, simple, glorious Gospel 
of the blessed God, to which our sin cursed earth 
is indebted for all the good which has been accom- 
plished. " God hath chosen the foolish things of 
the world," (not the wise and learned Hierarchy,) 
"to confound the wise ; and God hath chosen the 
weak things of the world," (not the grea.t and 
mighty Hierarchy,) " to confound the things which 
are mighty; and the base things of the world," 
(not the respected Hierarchy,) " and things which 
are despised," (not the honored Hierarchy,) "hath 
God chosen, etc.; that no flesh should glory in his 
presence."* The oldest Hierarchies in existence, 
(the Greek and Latin) after three or four centuries 
of gradual apostasy, have become the greatest possi- 
ble curse to the world. The fact, that God has 
allowed them to depart so far from the truth and 
purity of the Gospel, from so small beginnings, from 
errors apparently so insignificant, ought to be a 

* 1 Cor. i. 17-31. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. Ill 

solemn warning to other Hierarchies which are yet 
but one, two, or three centuries old. If God has 
thus shown, in a most unmistakable manner, his dis- 
approbation of men legislating for him, and of men 
submitting to such legislation, in religious matters, 
by permitting such awful apostasy, what may not 
others fear who are in the same direction. 



112 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 



CHAPTER VII. 

REASONS WHY SOME ARE APT TO CONCLUDE THAT 
THERE IS NO MODEL OF CHURCH GOVERNMENT IN 
THE NEW TESTAMENT. 

1. THEY DO NOT LOOK AFTER IT. 

If there is a government for the churches of 
Christ laid down in the New Testament, it may be 
asked, is it not singular, that all do not see it ? 
With the same propriety it may be asked, is it not 
singular that all men do not see the doctrine of 
the Godhead of our Lord Jesus Christ, or, of the 
final eternal punishment of the wicked, in the 
Bible ? So, of other doctrines. 

One very prominent reason why some, perhaps 
most men, do not see a model of Church Government 
in the New Testament, is, they do not look after 
it. This day and age of the world presents the 
singular phenomena, that men are intensely in- 
terested and active in regard to every thing that 
pertains to the various governments of earth, 
under which they are to live but few years, while 
the various forms of Church Government under 
which they live, and worship, and under which 
they are professedly preparing for eternity, receive 
but little or no attention. Told by their religious 
teachers that God has not prescribed any form of 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 113 

Church Government, and that men are at liberty 
to adopt any form they please ; or, that God has 
given certain church officers or rulers power over 
all others in his church, and taking this for granted, 
they rest satisfied, and are content to endure 
whatever may be imposed on them, without investi- 
gation, or questioning the authority. Careless 
and indifferent in reference to " soul liberty," 
concerning which they ought to be most intensely 
active ! Alas, it is true, they will not, and, there- 
fore, do not "know the truth, 7 ' and are not free! 
The fountain is opened, and men will not drink of 
it; the light shines, but they stay out in the dark! 

2. JEWISH MODEL. 

The view held by many that the Jewish and 
Christian churches are identical, has doubtless led 
some to expect, in the New Testament, an intima- 
tion that the government of the Jewish is trans- 
ferred to the Christian. Being too impartial and 
enlightened to pretend to see any thing of this 
nature in the New Testament, they are inclined to 
think, that for this reason we are left to form our 
own model of Church Government, as the times 
and circumstances may require. They do not find 
what they expect, and hastily conclude that noth- 
ing is to be found. 

3. CUSTOM OR HABIT OF THOUGHT. 

Many inquirers have been all their lives so 
accustomed to the multifarious, and complicated 
systems of the great national establishments, that 



114 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

when they go to the New Testament, they are led 
to overlook the simple apostolic plan. Their minds 
are so filled with these intricate and punctilious 
systems, and are so habituated to the voluminous 
"canons," "laws," "rules," "digests," "confes- 
sions of faith," "books of discipline," creeds, 
etc., etc., which the Hierarchies have set forth, 
that the inspired directions appear altogether 
defective, obscure, and inadequate. They look 
into the New Testament, and they can find neither 
the Church of England, nor the Church of Scot- 
land, nor the Protestant Episcopal church, nor the 
Presbyterian church, nor the Methodist Episcopal 
church, nor the Lutheran church, nor indeed any 
other, formed after the same model ; they conclude, 
therefore, that there is no form of Church Govern- 
ment revealed, or at most, it is only coarsely blocked 
out, to be variously formed or shaped according to 
the different humors of succeeding ages. 

4. A SYSTEMATIC PLAN EXPECTED. 

Another thing which tends to hide the scripture 
model from some inquirers, is their expectation of 
a systematic plan, or formal treatise on the subject. 
They look for a scheme in detail, as exhibited in 
the " Book of Common Prayer of the Protestant 
Episcopal church," or the "Westminster Confes- 
sion of Faith of the Presbyterian church," or the 
" Book of Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal 
church." When they look into the New Testament 
for such a plan, there is nothing like it to be found ; 
the half of the whole Epistles would scarcely con- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 115 

tain such a system. The conclusion then is, that 
no form of Church Government is revealed. But 
on what do they found their expectation of a 
system or formal treatise on Church Government ? 
Is there, in the whole range of the New Testament, 
any thing like a system on any subject ? Is there 
any doctrine or precept drawn out systematically? 
Take, for instance, the doctrine of the atonement ; 
we do not find all the texts that illustrate this 
doctrine collected into a system, but scattered 
from the beginning to the end of revelation. In 
the same manner, doctrine and precept are not 
kept distinct, but intentionally intermingled, as it 
were to prevent daring men from separating them, 
and setting up the one in opposition to the other. 
Indeed the manner of the revelation of Divine truth 
seems everywhere calculated and intended to ex- 
cite to industry, and overcome our natural love of 
ease. While on the one hand the great truths of 
revelation are so plain that a man may " run and 
read/' being found on every page, so that "the 
wayfaring man, though a fool cannot err therein ;" 
on the other, it is so wisely regulated to spur us 
to exertion, that to exhibit completely in all its 
bearings and features, and effectually prove any 
one point, it is necessary to turn over and over, 
search every page, compare spiritual things with 
spiritual, and examine the same doctrine, in the 
different connections and views in which it is found 
in the Scriptures. In one text a doctrine is taught 
perhaps with all its essential parts, but with some 
of its features more marked and prominent than 



116 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

others, according to the purpose the Holy Spirit 
meant to serve on that occasion. In another, the 
same truth is brought forward in a different light, 
to serve a different purpose, with the features that 
were less prominent in the other, now more marked 
and distinct. Like a painter who would exhibit 
the same scene in a multiplicity of views — alter- 
nately bringing foward, and putting into the back 
ground, the different objects he desires to repre- 
sent — in one representation, we have a palace as 
the chief object of attention, and its owner and 
family walking at some distance, are seen indis- 
tinctly. In another, the owner, if a person of note, 
is represented as the chief object, and the palace is 
put into the shade. In another, if the painter in- 
tends to show us, principally, some surprising and 
romantic scenery, both the palace and its owner 
will be put into the background. Now, that we 
may form clear and distinct ideas of the master, 
the palace and the scenery, we must view all three 
pictures alternately, though all three are repre- 
sented in every one of them. Just so it is in the 
Scriptures. Its truths are so scattered, and vari- 
ously represented, on such various occasions, for 
so many distinct purposes, that we cannot have a 
complete view of them without examining the 
whole Bible. They are so interwoven, and have 
such a connection and mutual dependence on each 
other, that a knowledge of one truth cannot be 
fully obtained without a general acquaintance 
with all the rest. How absurd then to expect a 
system or formal treatise on Church Government 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 11? 

in the New Testament. It is not God's ordinary 
method of communicating his plans and purposes. 

5. A MODEL GIVEN INDIRECTLY. 

Some are led to think thsre is no complete 
model of Church Government intended to be given 
in the New Testament, because all we know on 
this subject is given indirectly, and as it were 
unintentionally, and not sufficiently and fully ex- 
plained. The reason why this is so, has already 
been hinted at. As we are nowhere known in the 
New Testament, but in the person of the first 
churches, we could not expect a direct address on 
the subject of Church Government. What is said to 
them is said to us. And as it would be absurd to 
expect, that an Apostle, after forming a church in 
a place, would in a subsequent letter give them 
express directions for the formation of a church, 
seeing this was already done in the model before 
them, so all we can expect is a mere narration of 
what was done ; an indirect, and as it were, unin- 
tentional allusion to, or picture of the order estab- 
lished. The distinction between elders and deacons 
is generally admitted ; yet the exact boundaries 
of their offices is nowhere professedly and directly 
treated. A standing ministry is generally granted ; 
yet the chief proof of it must be obtained from 
incidental, indirect, and as it were, unintentional 
hints, and the example of the apostolic churches. 
To prove the truth of the Scriptures themselves, 
or any of their doctrines, we need only sufficient 
evidence to convince the humble inquirer. It is 



118 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

by no means necessary to silence the caviler, and 
divest the disobedient of every pretext. But the 
scattered hints we have, are not at all deficient for 
the purposes of Church Government. They are so 
numerous and complete, that a church of Christ 
need not advance a single step but on sacred 
ground. If this is so, what more do we want? 
If inquiry is made under the influence of a 
worldly spirit, it will not be strange if the scrip- 
ture materials appear scanty and obscure or con- 
fused. But if we ask in the spirit of the newly 
converted Saul of Tarsus : " Lord, what wilt thou 
have me to do ?" ready to perform the least as well 
as the greatest of his commandments, we will have 
no difficulty in reaching his conclusions. We 
should continually hang on the lips of our Master, 
ready, with the alacrity of an angel, to perform his 
pleasure, glad to discover it, though it should rofr 
us of fame, property, or even life. Blessed be his 
holy name ! his requirements bring out and de- 
velop, recognize and bring into exercise the highest 
principles of our manhood, and proclaim, "ye shall 
know the truth and the truth will make you free." 
If the Son, therefore, shall make you free, ye will 
be free indeed.* 

# John viii. 32, 36. Revised version. American Bible Union. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 119 



CHAPTER VIII. 

UNINSPIRED DESCRIPTION OF THE APOSTOLIC CHURCHES. 

1. THE GOVERNMENT INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC, 
BY JOHN LAWRENCE MOSHEIM, D.D.* 

"When we look back to the commencement of 
the Christian church, we find its government 
administered jointly by the pastors and the people. 
But in the process of time, the scene changes, and 
we see these pastors affecting an air of pre-eminence 
aud superiority, trampling upon the rights and 
privileges of the community and assuming to them- 
selves a supreme authority both in civil and reli- 
gious matters. This invasion of the rights of the 
people was at length carried to such a height, that 
a single man administered, or at least pretended a 
right to administer, the affairs of the whole church 
with an unlimited sway." 

" If, however, it is true that the Apostles acted by 
divine inspiration and in conformity with the com- 
mands of their blessed master, (and this no Chris- 
tian can call in question,) then it follows, that that 
form of government which the primitive churches 
borrowed from that of Jerusalem, the first Christian 
assembly established by the Apostles themselves, 
must be esteemed as of Divine institution. * * * * 

*Mosh. Eecl. His., McLane's translation, Introduction, vol. I p. 4. 
Vol. I. cent. 1, pp. 96-105. 



120 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

In those early times every Christian church con- 
sisted of the people j their leaders, and the minis- 
ters or deacons,* and these indeed belong essen- 
tially to every religious society. The people were, 
undoubtedly, the first in authority ; for the Apostles 
showed, by their own example, that nothing of 
moment was to be carried on or determined without 
the consent of the assembly, f and such a method 
was both prudent and necessary in those critical 
times. 

" It was therefore the assembly of the people 
which chose their own rulers and teachers, or re- 
ceived them, by a free and authoritative consent 
when recommended \>y others. The same people 
rejected or confirmed, by their suffrages, the laws 
that were proposed by their rulers to the assembly ; 
excommunicated profligate and unworthy members 
of the church, restored the penitent to their for- 
feited privileges, passed judgment upon the different 
subjects of controversy and dissension that arose 
in their community, examined and decided the dis- 
putes which happened between the elders and dea- 
cons, and, in a word, exercised all that authority 
which belongs to such as are invested with the 
sovereign power. 

" There reigned among the members of the Chris- 
tian church, however distinguished they were by 
worldly rank and titles, not only an amiable har- 
mony, but also a perfect equality. This appeared 

* Mosheim evidently means, by " leaders" the pastors, and by 
u ministers " servants or deacons. 
f "Acts i. 15-26; xv. 3-6; xxi. 22." 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 121 

by the feasts of charity, in which all were indiscrimi- 
nately assembled ; by the names of brethren and 
sisters, with which they mutually saluted each other ; 
and by several circumstances of a like nature. Nor, 
in this first century, was the distinction made 
between Christians of a more or less perfect order, 
which took place afterward. Whoever acknow- 
ledged Christ as the Saviour of mankind, and made 
a solemn profession of confidence in him, was imme- 
diately baptized and received into the church. But 
in process of time, when the church began to flour- 
ish and its members to increase, it was thought pru- 
dent and necessary to divide Christians into two 
orders, distinguished by the names of believers and 
catechumens. The former were those, who had 
been solemnly admitted into the church by bap- 
tism, and in consequence thereof, were instructed 
in all the mysteries of religion, had access to all the 
parts of Divine worship, and were authorized to 
vote in the ecclesiastical assemblies. The latter 
were such, as had not yet been dedicated to God 
and Christ by baptism, and were, therefore, ad- 
mitted neither to the public prayers, nor to the holy 
communion nor to the ecclesiastical assemblies.* 

" The rulers of the church were called either 
presbyters, or bishoj^s, which two titles are, in the 
New Testament, undoubtedly applied to the same 
order of men. These were persons of eminent 
gravity, and such as had distinguished themselves 
by their superior sanctity or merit. Their particu- 

* This was close communion indeed. 
11 



122 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

lar functions were not always the same ; for while 
some of them confined their labors to the instruction 
of the people, others contributed in different ways 
to the edification of the church. Hence the dis- 
tinction between teaching and ruling presbyters has 
been adopted by certain learned men. But, if ever 
this distinction existed, which I neither affirm or 
deny, it certainly did not continue long ; since it is 
manifest, that St. Paul requires that all bishops or 
presbyters be qualified and ready to teach and in- 
struct. 

" The church was, undoubtedly, provided from 
the beginning with inferior ministers or deacons. 
No society can be without its servants, and still 
less such societies as those of the first Christians 
were. And it appears not only probable but evi- 
dent that the young men, who carried away the 
dead bodies of Ananias and Sapphira were the 
subordinate ministers or deacons of the church at 
Jerusalem, who attended the Apostles to execute 
their orders. These first deacons of the church, 
being from among the Jews who were born in 
Palestine, were suspected by the foreign Jews of 
partiality in distributing the offerings which were 
presented for the support of the poor. To remedy, 
therefore, this disorder, seven other deacons were 
chosen by order of the Apostles, and employed in 
the service of that part of the church of Jerusalem 
which was composed of the foreign Jews converted 
to Christianity. Of these new ministers, six were 
foreigners, as appears by their names ; the seventh 
was chosen out of the Proselytes, of whom there 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 123 

were a certain number among the first Christians 
at Jerusalem, to whom it was reasonable, that some 
regard should be shown, in the election of deacons, 
as well as to foreign Jews. All the other Christian 
churches followed the example of that of Jerusalem 
in whatever related to the choice and office of dea- 
cons. Some, particularly the eastern churches, 
elected deaconesses, and chose, for that purpose, 
matrons or widows of eminent sanctity, who also 
ministered to the necessities of the poor, and per- 
formed several other offices that tended to the 
maintenance of order and decency in the church. 

" Such was the constitution of the Christian 
church in its infancy, when its assemblies were 
neither numerous nor splendid. Three or four 
presbyters, men of remarkable piety and wisdom, 
ruled these small congregations in perfect harmony, 
nor did they stand in need of any president or 
superior to maintain concord and order where no 
dissensions were known. But the number of the 
presbyters and deacons increasing with that of the 
churches, and the sacred work of the ministry grow- 
ing more painful and weighty, by a number of addi- 
tional duties, these new circumstances required new 
regulations. It was then judged necessary, that 
one man of distinguished gravity and wisdom 
should preside in the counsel of presbyters, in order 
to distribute among his colleagues their several 
tasks and to be a centre of union to the whole 
society. This person was first styled the angel 
(Rev. ii. 3.) of the church to which he belonged, 
but was afterwards distinguished by the name of 



124 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

bishop, or inspector ; a name borrowed from the 
Greek language, and expressing the principal part 
of the episcopal function, which was to inspect into, 
and superintend the affairs of the church. It is 
highly probable that the church at Jerusalem, 
grown considerably numerous, and deprived of the 
ministry of the Apostles, who were gone to instruct 
the other nations, was the first who chose a presi- 
dent or bishop. And it is no less probable that 
the other churches followed by degrees such a re- 
spectable example. 

" Let none, however confound the bishops of this 
primitive and golden period of the church with 
those of whom we read in the following ages. For, 
though they were both distinguished by the same 
name, yet they differed extremely, and that in many 
respects. A bishop, during the first and second 
century, was a person who had the care of one 
Christian assembly, which, at that time, was, gener- 
ally speaking, small enough to be contained in a 
private house. In this assembly he acted not so 
much with the authority of a master, as with the 
zeal and diligence of a faithful servant. He in- 
structed the people, performed the several parts of 
Divine worship, attended the sick, and inspected 
into the circumstances and supplies of the poor. 
He charged, indeed, the presbyters with the per- 
formance of those duties and services, which the 
multiplicity of his engagements rendered it impossi- 
ble for him to fulfil; but had not the power to 
decide or enact any thing without the consent of 
the presbyters and people. And though the episco- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 125 

pal office was both laborious and singularly danger- 
ous, yet its revenues were extremely small, since 
the church had no certain income, but depended on 
the gifts or oblations of the multitude, which were 
no doubt inconsiderable, and were moreover to be 
divided between the bishops, presbyters, deacons, 
and poor. 

" The churches, in those early times, were entire- 
ly independent; none of them subject to any foreign 
jurisdiction, but each one governed by its own rules, 
and its own laws. For though the churches founded 
by the Apostles, had this particular deference shown 
them, that they were consulted in difficult and 
doubtful cases, yet they had no juridical authority, 
no sort of supremacj^ over the others, nor the least 
right to enact laws for them. Nothing, on the con- 
trary, is more evident than the perfect equality that 
reigned among the primitive churches ; nor does 
there even appear, in this first century, the smallest 
trace of that association of provincial churches, 
from which Councils and Metropolitans derive their 
origin. It was only in the second century, that the 
custom of holding Councils commenced in Greece, 
from whence it soon spread through the other pro- 
vinces.' ' 

2. MEMBERSHIP VOLUNTARY. — BY JOHN LAWRENCE 
MOSHEIM, D.D. 

^In the earliest times of the church, all who pro- 
fessed firmly to believe that Jesus was the only 
Redeemer of the world, and who, in consequence 
of this profession, promised to live in a manner 



126 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

conformable to the purity of his holy religion, were 
immediately received among the disciples of Christ. 
This was all the preparation for baptism then re- 
quired ; and a more accurate instruction in the doc- 
trines of Christianity, was to be administered to 
them after their receiving the sacrament. But 
when Christianity had 'acquired more confidence, 
and churches rose to the true God, and his eternal 
Son, almost in every nation, this custom was 
changed for the wisest and most solid reasons. 
Then, none were admitted to baptism but such as 
had been previously instructed in the principal 
points of Christianity, and had also given satisfac- 
tory proofs of pious dispositions, and upright in- 
tentions. Hence arose the distinction between 
catechumens, who were in a state of probation, and 
under the instruction of persons appointed for that 
purpose, and believers, who were consecrated by 
baptism, and thus initiated into all the mysteries of 
the Christian faith."* Thus, this distinguished 
Lutheran, in harmony with the inspired teachings 
and history, makes membership in the apostolic 
churches consist only of those who voluntarily pro- 
fessed their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. 

3. MEMBERSHIP CONVERTED AND GOVERNMENT INDE- 
PENDENT. — BY WILLIAM CARPENTER, M.A. 

In the Supplement to that great work, The Com- 
prehensive Commentary, edited by William Jenks, 
D.D., containing A guide to the study of the 

* Mosheini's Ecelesiastical History, McLane's Translation, vol. 1, 
cent. 1, part II., chap, iii., p. 114 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 121 

Bible, by William Carpenter, M.A., pp. 133, 134, 
is found a description of The Christian Church, 
which, as it is not generally accessible to the read- 
ing public, the author has taken the liberty to tran- 
scribe, and, side by side with the description given 
by the distinguished Mosheim, would demand for it 
the attention and careful consideration of every 
candid inquirer after truth. Every proposition in 
it is weighty, and will stand the test of the severest 
criticism. A more perfect uninspired picture of the 
apostolic churches, it is scarcely possible to write. 

" OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. 

" 1. Unlike the Jewish church, which embraced 
the whole nation, without reference to the vitality 
of the faith possessed by the individuals of which 
it was composed, the Christian church comprises 
only those who form part of the spiritual seed of 
Abraham. It predicates nothing of men as men ; 
it knows of no rule but that of truth, of principle, 
of conscience. The apostolic churches were com- 
posed, either of true Christians, or those who, to 
human appearance, were such. They were saluted 
by inspired men, as ' saints in Christ Jesus,' as 
'partakers of precious faith,' as ' calling on the 
name of the Lord Jesus,' as 'holy brethren, par- 
takers of the heavenly calling.' They were ad- 
dressed as ' born again, not of corruptible seed, but 
of incorruptible,' as ' quickened together with 
Christ,' as ' saved by grace, through faith,' as 'the 
workmanship of God, created in Christ Jesus unto 
good works,' as individuals, with reference to whom, 



128 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

1 old things had passed away, and all things had 
become new.' From the first church at Jerusalem, 
down to the last that was formed in the provinces 
of the heathen w^orld, all the apostolic communities 
were composed of members so designated, and 
whose association in church-fellowship was the re- 
sult of their accredited conversion to the faith of 
the Lord Jesus. The Apostles and first Christians 
never dreamed of creating nominal territory for the 
display of the Christian faith. With them, the limits 
of the church was the boundary line of belief, and of 
actual holiness. Beyond this, they saw no trace 
of the church of Christ ; nor did the}^ dare to make 
themselves the agents of imposing a deception upon 
the unenlightened mass of mankind, by constituting 
whole provinces Christian, by any summary or po- 
litical act. Upon a principle the most voluntary 
that can be conceived of, were the first churches 
gathered together in the name of their common 
Lord and Redeemer. By the force of truth, by the 
power of conscience, by the influence of the mes- 
sage of reconciliation, by the renewing power of the 
Holy Spirit, by the agitating considerations of an 
impending eternity, by the resistless workings of 
gratitude and love, did they give themselves first to 
the Lord, and then to one another, in all the en- 
dearments of mutual Christian fellowship. 

" 2. In speaking of the Christian church, we 
speak of the collective body of believers, without 
reference to congregations, countries, or any other 
localities ; and used in this enlarged sense only, is 
the phrase a correct one. (See Eph. v., 23-25, etc. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 129 

Col. i. 18, 24, etc.) It is too evident from the 
New Testament, to admit of controversy, that each 
organized and disciplined assembly of believers 
constituted a church of Christ, strictly independent 
of all other churches, as to its government and in- 
ternal economy ; though united with all others in 
one common bond of faith and love, and in every 
respect ready to promote the interests and welfare 
of the whole, by a reciprocal interchange of good 
offices. See Acts, viii. 1; v. 14; vi. 7 ; xi. 22; 1 
Cor. i. 2; xvi. 19; Rom. xvi. 5; Col. iv. 16; Rev. 
i. 4, 11, 20; ii. 1, 8, etc. 

"3. In the primitive churches there was a perfect 
equality among the members, no one having greater 
power or authority than another, but the whole con- 
stituting one body, in which the general authority 
was lodged. Speaking of the constitution of the 
church at Jerusalem, Mosheim observes (Commen- 
taries, I., 203-210, 241, etc.): ' The power of enact- 
ing laws, of appointing teachers and ministers, and 
of determining controversies, was lodged in the 
people at large ; nor did the Apostles, although in- 
vested with Divine authority, either resolve on, or 
sanction any thing whatever, without the knowledge 
and concurrence of the general body of Christians 
of which the church was composed. ' See Acts xv. 
etc. 

"4. The Christian churches were formed and 
maintained upon a purely voluntary principle. 
1 The weapons of their warfare were not carnal, but 
mighty through God to the pulling down of strong- 
holds.' The whole apparatus of Christian propaga- 



130 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

tion was spiritual : the church at large was a grand 
missionary institution, for the diffusion of truth and 
holiness. The idea of levying an involuntary con- 
tribution for the maintenance of the ministry, or 
for the erection of Christian temples, or for the 
aggrandizement of a particular sect, or for the sup- 
port of a large system of ecclesiastical rule, in 
which the power of the civil magistrate should be 
thrown into the scale of the church, never entered 
into the heads of the inspired Apostles, save when 
under the Divine afflatus of that Spirit by whom 
they were enabled to foretell the corruptions of suc- 
ceeding ages. 

" 5. The members of the church of Christ are 
rescued, in spiritual matters, from all thraldom to 
the doctrines and commandments of men. As, on 
the one hand, they are not to allow themselves to 
be called masters, so, on the other, they are not to 
call any man master, upon earth. In every thing to 
be believed, in every thing to be practiced, the New 
Testament is the all-perfect and the exclusive rule. 
From that inspired record, the churches of Christ 
are not at liberty, by any rule of the Master's sugges- 
tion, to make their own fallible and imperfect 
digest, and then to require the belief, ex animo, 
(heartily,) of those who unite themselves to their 
fellowship. This is to substitute the rule of human 
doctrine for the laws of the blessed and only Poten- 
tate. To demand subscription to mere human arti- 
cles, though they may rest on a scriptural basis, is 
to tarnish the spirituality of the Redeemer's king- 
dom, and to create submission to man, rather than 
to God." 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 131 



CHAPTER IX. 

THE ONLY UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD. 

" Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out with- 
out hands which smote the image upon his feet 
of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Then 
was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and 
the gold, broken to pieces together, and became 
like the chaff of the summer threshing floors ; and 
the wind carried them away, that no place was 
found for them ; and the stone that smote the 
image became a great mountain, and filled the 
whole earth." 

"And in the days of these kings shall the God 
of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be 
destroyed ; and the kingdom shall not be left to 
other people, but it shall break in pieces and con- 
sume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for- 
ever." Dan. ii. 34, 35, 44. 

This wonderful dream of Nebuchadnezzar and 
its interpretation may be summed up in this : God 
has decreed the existence of a Brotherhood which 
shall ultimately be co-extensive with the bounds 
of the habitable earth, and be perpetuated to 
limitless duration. It becomes our duty, there- 
fore, to ascertain what it is, and where it may be 
found, that we may bear our part in its extension, 



132 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

and share, with its favored sons, its exalted privi- 
leges and heaven appointed honors. 

Every organization must have a source or origin, 
and a plan or form according to which it comes 
into existence, and is perpetuated. In other words, 
every society must have a head or seat of authority, 
and laws emanating from that head. These imply 
wisdom and power as essential attributes of that 
head, and the adaptation of these laws to the con- 
ditions, necessities, and circumstances of those for 
whom they are designed. Society implies persons, 
and organic union of persons, membership ; also 
non-membership ; according to their several con- 
ditions; and while the several conditions of the 
persons which make this distinction or separation 
necessary, exist, the one party — the membership — 
will be exclusive to the other — the non-member- 
ship. This exclusivism (" close communion") 
cannot be avoided; and the cry which has been 
raised against it, is more the clamor of the partizan, 
than the utterance of intelligent conviction. They 
who cry loudest are least to be trusted. Thesie isT 
no position one can occupy which is not in some 
respects exclusive. It must be so to all who do 
not see fit to take it. A society cannot be formed 
without some terms of agreement, some articles of 
compact ; and it is exclusive to all who do not 
enter into the agreement, or articles of compact. 
The existence of society makes it exclusive. Every 
government on earth is exclusive. To be a citizen 
of our own Republican Government is not the 
privilege of every individual, irrespective of charac- 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 133 

ter, or qualifications. Does any one complain that 
a citizen of another nation cannot enjoy all the 
privileges of a citizen of this nation ? There is not 
a church or society, of any kind, religious, benevo- 
lent, reformatory, literary, or scientific, that is not 
exclusive. If persons have the right to enter into 
compact, to declare terms of agreement among 
themselves, they have the right to be exclusive. 
To exclaim against it, is unphilosophic, contradicts 
all history, and is an attempt to overthrow what ex- 
ists of necessity, what is impossible to avoid, either 
in this world or the world to come. It belongs to 
the marriage relation, to the family circle, to every 
department of the social fabric, to the kingdom of 
God, to angelic existence, to heaven itself God 
is its author. It is not arbitrary, does not exist 
without reason ; but because of the natural, mutual 
relation of things ; because it is the natural order 
of things, and necessary for the good of the whole ; 
and as long as differences exist, as long as there 
are differences between men, angels, and God, so 
long must exclusivism be part of the order of the 
Divine government. The Prophet Amos pertinently 
asks: " Can two walk together except they agree ?" 
To originate a body or society which is ultimate- 
ly to extend over all the habitable earth, and to 
be perpetuated to limitless duration, requires Om- 
niscience, Omnipotence, and Omnipresence. In 
laying the plan thereof, the natures, conditions, and 
necessities of all whom it is designed to embrace, 
must be foreseen, and all the requirements of these 
natures, conditions, and necessities, must be fully 
12 



134 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

and perfectly met and provided for. No man, or 
combination of men, can foresee and meet these. 
Hence no man, or combination of men, can origi- 
nate a Universal Brotherhood. Hence the forcible 
significant language of the inspired penman: "cut 
out without hands.' 7 Human wisdom did not 
originate, had no share in planning it. Its origin 
is Divine. In this Divine origin there is unity; 
hence there is unity in the plan. If we find con- 
fusion or want of harmony in the several parts of a 
plan, it is a fair deduction, either that the head is 
not a unit, or has not wisdom equal to the demands 
of the case. The plan of this organization, so far 
as revealed, is in the Bible, the written word of 
God. This plan is a unit. Perfect hai'mony reigns 
throughout all its parts. This unity, this perfect 
harmony, evinces the Divine unity and wisdom of 
its author. In the Old Testament Scriptures, this 
plan is revealed prophetically ; in the New Testa- 
ment it is developed, and given specific form and 
tangibility. 

At this point it may be proper to remark that the 
organization, whose plan, laws, and history, are 
mainly given in the Old Testament, sometimes 
called the Jewish church, composed of the circum- 
cised natural seed of Abraham, without regard to 
moral character, was limited in its extent and dura- 
tion, and when the design of its existence was ac- 
complished, was done away. The proofs of this are 
many. Let three suffice : " The law and the pro- 
phets were until John," etc., Luke xvi: 16. " Cast 
out the bond woman and her son ; for the son of 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 135 

the bond woman shall not be heir with the son of 
the free woman," Gal. iv. 30. " He takes away 
the first, that he may establish the second," Heb. 
x. 9. (See also 2 Cor. iii.) God did not design 
that it should be universal or perpetual, and, while 
yet in existence, ages before its mission was com- 
plete, declared that he would in the future, at the 
appointed time, set up an organization which should 
ultimately be universal and perpetual. (See text.) 
The Roman Catholic church claims to be a Uni- 
versal Brotherhood. She has assumed the name 
Catholic in view of her extent over the whole 
earth, either present or prospective. She claims to 
have an infallible head, that head a unit. She 
claims to have all the essentials of a societ}-, de- 
signed to be co-extensive with the bounds of earth, 
and has been, for ages, true to this principle, exert- 
ing all her mighty energies to bring the entire race 
into subjection to her authority. She is not, and 
never can be, what she claims. Her origin is 
human, her head, plan, and laws, are human. To 
say that her head is only in subordination to God 
will not help the matter. Two heads so vastly 
different as God and man would produce confusion, 
would be the worst condition of deformity. One 
of them must be superfluous. The Bible contains 
no record of two heads. In that book we never 
read of the " Great Head," as if there was a little 
bead. It is there, simply "the head." The argu- 
ment at this point is applicable to every society on 
earth, which has a human head, or seat of authority. 
No society can be a Universal Brotherhood, whose 



136 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

origin, head, or seat of authority, is any other than 
the Triune Jehovah, and whose plan, whose laws, 
are not in all things — necessary to be known — 
God's revealed will as found in the Bible. The 
reason is plain : No man or combination of men 
can foresee the natures, conditions, and necessities, 
to be met, or make a system adapted to each and 
all. Man is neither Omniscient nor Omnipotent 
Lawyer Gamaliel uttered a truth which all should 
heed : — " If this council or this work be of men, 

IT WILL COME TO NOUGHT ; BUT IF IT BE OF GOD, YE 
CANNOT OVERTHROW IT." Acts V. 38, 39. 

Having thus briefly set forth the Divine head 
and plan or laws of this Brotherhood, let us ascer- 
tain some of its other essential characteristics. A 
Brotherhood is a union of brothers, — children of 
the same father, — and involves the essential man- 
hood of each. As a race we are all in the same 
relative condition. By nature we are all outside 
of this Brotherhood: "All have sinned and come 
short of the glory of God ;" " There is none good 
but one, that is God ;" are facts revealed and illus- 
trated too plainly to be denied. All therefore in 
this condition are disqualified for admission within 
its sacred boundaries ; not only because such ad- 
mission is incompatible, but because, while the law 
of the Brotherhood thus clearly and plainly re- 
veals and exposes the condition of mankind, it as 
clearly and plainly prescribes the qualifications for 
admission to its exalted privileges, and describes 
the moral characteristics of those already enrolled 
and distinguished as members : " Ye must be born 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 13? 

again ;"* " Except ye be converted and become as 
little children, etc. ;"f " Be not unequally yoked 
together with unbelievers ;"J " Ye are all the 
children of God by faith in Jesus- Christ ;"§ " Be- 
loved now are we the sons of God ;"|| " But ye are 
a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy 
nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should show 
forth the praises of him who hath called you out of 
darkness into his marvellous light ; which in time 
past were not a people but are now the people of 
God, etc."^[ This language is clear, and plain, and 
strong, and unequivocal. There can be no mis- 
take or misunderstanding in regard to it. Thus, a 
membership is secured on a principle the most 
voluntary that can be conceived, by a process at 
once the most natural and simple. The individual 
makes application for admission; he is examined ; if 
found to possess the required qualifications, he is 
received, in the way and manner the laws or rules 
of the organization direct. How natural, how sim- 
ple, how voluntary, on the part of the applicant 
and the society. 

But what does this admission involve ? What 
ideas do we generally attach to an initiation ? 
What does an initiatory ceremony imply, or ex- 
press ? The ceremony of admission or initiation , 
however simple, whatever it may be in itself, is 
that of professing confidence in, attachment to, and 
union with the society into which the person is 

* John iii. 3-5. § Gal. iii. 26-29. 

f Matt, xviii. 3. || 1 John iii. 1, 2. 

% 2 Cor. vi. 14. % 1 Pet. ii. 9, 10. See also Eph. ii. 



138 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

initiated, with a recognition of all its laws, princi- 
ples, and practices, and the obligations growing 
out of such union. It is a representative act, in- 
volving submission to every other law or require- 
ment of that particular society. When an individu- 
al is initiated into this great Brotherhood, by that 
act or ceremony, whatever it may be, he professes 
confidence or faith in , attachment to, and union 
with, and a recognition of all its principles, and 
all the obligations growing out of his connection 
with it. Belonging to it, all its principles are his, 
all its obligations are his, and his initiation, as a 
representative act, involves submission to every 
other law or requirement revealed for his direction. 
The ceremony of initiation into this God-planned, 
God-originated Brotherhood, is Christian baptism. 
However extended the design of baptism, it is 
plain, that all that can be expressed or implied in 
an initiation ceremony, belongs intrinsically to this 
rite. It is only in the light of an initiatory ceremo- 
ny, that our Lord's language to John the Baptist, 
" For thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteous- 
ness,"* can be understood and explained. As if he 
had said, " Suffer me to be baptized, for this, as an 
initiatory ceremony, carries with it the obligation 
of all subsequent right doing." In this view we 
may understand why our Lord commanded the disci- 
ples, made out of all nations, to be baptized " in, or 
into, (eis,) the name of the Father," etc.,f why be- 
lievers are said to be baptized into Jesus Christ, 

Matt. iii. 15. f Matt, xxviii. 19. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 139 

and into his death ;* and having been baptized into 
Jesus Christ, have put on Christ ;f why being 
buried and raised with him, by baptism, we should 
walk in newness of life :J why Paul was exhorted 
to rise and be baptized, and wash away his sins ;§ 
why baptism is called a washing of the body, and a 
profession of faith ;|| a figure of our salvation, and 
the answer of a good conscience towards God ;•[[ 
why in the whole history of its administration in 
the New Testament, it is found connected with re- 
pentance and immediately following faith.** Here 
we learn why Mark summed up the gospel which 
Jesus commanded his disciples to preach to every 
creature, in the significant words, " He that be- 
lieveth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he that 
believe th not shall be damned. "f f Before one joins 
any society he must be converted to its principles ; 
his views and feelings must undergo a change — 
unless perchance he was always qualified. But (by 
nature) none are qualified for admission to this 
Brotherhood, till they are so changed as to believe 
its principles, love them and their author, and all 
the membership, and are willing to take all the 
obligations, and perform all the duties, involved in 
the relation of membership. In and .by the baptism 
of a penitent believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, all 
this is professed. It is, to such, a representative 
act. Peter did not say : Repent and be baptized, 

* Rom. vi. 3. f Gal. iii. 27. f Rom. vi. 4. 

I Acts xxii. 16. || Heb. x. 22, 23. \ Pet. iii. 21. 

** Matt. iii. 6 ; Mark i. 5 ; Acts ii. 38, 41 ; viii. 12, 13, 27-39 ; 
x. 47; xvi. 13-15, 32-34; xviii. 8. ft Mark xvi - 16 « 



140 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

take the Lord's Supper, go to meeting, pay the 
preacher, pray, and perform all other Christian 
duties. No ; but, " Repent and be baptized, everj^ one 
of you, in the name, etc.," — "repent," which indi- 
cates the required qualifications, "and be baptized," 
this act carrying with it all other obligations of the 
Christian life. Why did our Lord declare that the 
" least in the kingdom of God is greater than John 
the Baptist," though he declared him to be greater 
than the greatest of prophets?* Was it not because 
John, though a baptizer, was not baptized; and 
therefore not having been initiated into the king- 
dom of God, his privileges were less than the 
least of those who had been initiated by baptism. 
The conclusion is inevitable. This beautiful, intense- 
ly significant, yet simple act, is the initiatory rite, 
or ceremony, surely admitting true believers in the 
Lord Jesus Christ, into this holy Brotherhood, 
and entitling them to all its heaven-born privi- 
leges. Having " one Lord, one faith, one baptism," 
and bound together by that strongest bond, pure, 
unfeigned love, one with, and in each other and 
their Head, their union is as inseparable, as their 
life is eternal. Thus this great Brotherhood is com- 
posed of all who are qualified and duly initiated ac- 
cording to the law, revealed by its Head and King. 
But what relation do these duly initiated members 
sustain, to each other and their Head, and what are 
their duties and powers ? The Word of God is 
complete and perfect, and we are expressly forbid- 

* Matt. xi. 11 ; Luke vii. 28. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 141 

den to add to it, or take from it, on penalty of eter- 
nal severance from all its promised privileges. As 
therefore God has determined all things pertain- 
ing to this great organization, he has made no 
provision for changes, nor, therefore, for representa- 
tive assemblies of his people, or any other kind, 
to meet annually, or more or less frequent, to make 
new laws, or change those he has made. If new 
laws were needed, or change, in any thing pertain 
ing to the order of this Brotherhood, required, it 
would indicate imperfection in the Head and plan. 
But the Head and plan being perfect, human legisla- 
tion for it would be, and is, an assumption of power, 
and an elevation of man to equal authority with 
God. It would indeed be, and is, wherever at- 
tempted, man, " sitting in the temple of God, show- 
ing himself that he is God/' and claiming the 
authority of God.* 

In order more fully to develop the character of 
this Brotherhood, let us, at this place, introduce its 
history. When did the mission of "the stone cut 
out without hands" begin? When did the G d 
of heaven set up his kingdom on earth, which is, 
and shall be, aggressive till all other kingdoms 
are destroyed, and progressive, not only till it fills 
the whole earth, but forever ? Our Lord himself, 
independent of any other interpretation, has fully 
answered this question. He says: "The time is 
fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand, or prop- 
erly translated, has come (eggiken)."f Without 

* 2 Thess. ii. 4, f Mark i. 15. 



142 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

the shadow of a doubt, a little more than eighteen 
hundred years ago, in Palestine, when the Son 
of God became incarnate, began to gather his dis- 
ciples, and was proclaimed King,* this organiza- 
tion began its existence. Then, there, the God 
of heaven set up his kingdom, and its aggressive 
and progressive career began, as in this prophetic 
dream he revealed it. At first the number of 
its subjects was very small. Though expected, 
and heralded under deeply portentous circum- 
stances and events ;f the King himself distinguished 
and manifested by a most wonderful display of al- 
mighty power; by attestations of character and 
authority as only such a King could give ; and 
though, by a sacrifice of infinite sufficiency, pardon 
and reconciliation became possible, and was offered 
to all the hungering, thirsty, laboring, heavy laden, 
lost and ruined race, but few of the mighty mass 
who needed his royal favor, were willing to receive 
him. For several years they did not exceed a 
thousand, and these were scattered over Palestine 
Soon after the kingdom was set up, we read that 
one hundred and twenty persons were associated 
together in the city of Jerusalem. J This is the 
first organized body of which we have any account, 
in any way connected with this Brotherhood. But 
these one hundred and twenty were not all the 

* Matt. xxi. 5; Luke xix. 38; xxiii. 2, 3. See also 1 Tim. vi. 13 
— 16 : Rev. xv. 3, and xvii. 14, which teach most clearly that 
Christ was then regarded, and is now, a king, as really, and literally, 
as he ever can be in the future. 

f Matt. iii. J Acts i. 15. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT, 143 

Initiated ; for Paul speaks of " more than five hun- 
dred brethren," who were witnesses of the King's 
most glorious victory.* But they began to multiply. 
The King had commissioned his followers to go forth 
in his name and proclaim his kingdom, open its door, 
and invite the multitudes to enter. Thousands, 
who had before hated the King, gladly received the 
message, were duly initiated, and the local organiza- 
tion at Jerusalem, numbered above five thousand.*)* 
Soon other cities and villages were visited, the 
Brotherhood proclaimed, multitudes believing the 
good news of pardon and reconciliation to enemies, 
and receiving Jesus Christ as their King, were ad- 
mitted to all its glorious privileges ; and thus other 
distinct local societies came into existence, each called 
after the city or neighborhood in which it was loca- 
ted. In this way they have continued to multiply, 
and increase, from age to age, even down to the 
present time. With this brief glance at the well 
known history of this Brotherhood, let us proceed 
to its further development. 

These local societies, called churches, constitute, 
in their extent, the kingdom of our Lord and 
Saviour Jesus Christ on earth, concerning which 
the prophet Daniel speaks, under the symbol of the 
" stone cut out without hands." As a kingdom is 
generally divided into provinces, so each of these 
local churches constitutes a province in the kingdom 
of God. There are many " strangers and foreigners" 
yet outside, many enemies yet unsubdued. Every 

* 1 Cor. xv. 6. f Acts ii. 41 - iv. 4. 



144 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

convert baptized is the addition of another subject, 
and every new church organized, is the addition of 
another province, to his kingdom. As provinces of 
the same empire are independent of each other, 
having each its local officers, so these local churches 
are independent of each other, having each its local 
officers. As provinces of the same empire have one 
general code of laws, and are united under one 
Head or Ruler, so these local churches have but 
one code of laws, and are in an inseparable union 
with their Head and King. They are, therefore', in 
all that pertains to them as churches, all alike. 
This must be so for the reason already given — they 
have the same Head or Seat of authority ; not a 
part of themselves, self or otherwise elevated to 
that position, but Jesus Christ, " head over all."* 
They all have the same code of laws ; not one code 
for one place, and a different one for another ; one 
for the North, another for the South; one for 
Europe, a different one for Asia, Africa, or America ; 
one for the rich man, another for the poor man ; 
one for the learned, another for the unlearned ; one 
for the white man, another for the red man, and 
another for the black man ; one for the Jew, another 
for the Gentile. But one code, and only one, for 
all and each. The same qualifications for citizen- 
ship, or membership, are required throughout the 
whole extent of its territory and duration. Always 
and everywhere the same. Thej^ have the same 
initiatory ceremony ;f the same commemorative 

* Eph. i. 22; iv. 15; v. 23; Col. i. 18. 
f Eph. iv. 5; Rom. vi. 3, 4; Col. ii. 12. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 145 

feast, spread, not for enemies of the Kiug or 
aliens , for those outside ; but for those duly ini- 
tiated, and otherwise qualified according to the 
law of the feast.* There is no waiving of any of 
these laws in favor of any one locality. It is the 
peculiar excellence, yea, it indicates the perfection 
of these laws and their Divine origin, that they are 
perfectly adapted to every part of the habitable 
globe. These local churches or provinces of the 
kingdom of Christ must therefore be all alike. 
Dissimilarity would indicate departure, somewhere, 
from the divinely instituted order. 

As individuals, the membership all sustain the 
same relation. God is their father — " Born of God" — 
they are his children, therefore brethren ; their rights 
and their duties are therefore inalienable. All the au- 
thority given, is in each of these local churches, and 
that only over their own affairs. They have no power 
to change the Divine order in the least. They have 
power to receive members. " Him that is weak in 
the faith receive ye."f They have power to ex- 
communicate: "Withdraw yourselves from every 
brother that walks disorderly," etc. J They have a 
declarative power: "Whatever ye shall bind on 
earth shall be bound in heaven," etc. " Whose sins 
ye remit they are remitted,"§ plainly referring to 
the effect of receiving, (or refusing to receive,) and 
expelling members. They can warn, reprove, and 
exhort each other. They have charge of their own 

* 1 Cor. xi. f Rom. xiv. 1. 

X Rom. xvi. 17; 1 Cor. v. 4-13; 2 Thess. Hi. 6, 10-15. 
? Matt, xviii. 18 ; John xx. 23. 
13 



146 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

finances, as seen in the distribution in the church 
at Jerusalem,* when " they had all things common ;" 
in the collections in other churches for the poor 
saints at Jerusalem ;-j- in Paul's instructions in re- 
gard to pastoral support^ and his commendations 
of the church at Philippi, " communicating in giving 
and receiving," and " sending once and again to 
his necessity."§ They have power to judge in matters 
of difference, either in civil or in personal offences, 
between brethren. || They have power to send out 
from among themselves Evangelists or Missiona- 
ries.^ They have power to choose their own officers;** 
and, that there might be no abuse of authority, the 
nature and duties of these officers are distinctly and 
clearly defined. Two orders of officers only, are 
recognized in the law. These are called Bishops and 
Deacons. Bishops are sometimes, perhaps most fre- 
quently, called elders or pastors. In the church at 
Jerusalem, they had three or more elders or pastors, 
among whom we find James, Peter, and John, who 
are called pillars, and gave the right hands of 
fellowship to Paul and Barnabas, that they might 
have authority to be missionaries ;f f they had, at 
least, seven deacons. In the church at Ephesus, 
they had a plurality of elders, who are also called 
bishops, showing that the terms " bishop" and 
" elder," designated the same office. They also 

* Acts iv. 32-35. t 1 Cor - xvL 1 ~ 4 ' 

J 1 Cor. ix.; 1 Tim. v. 17 18. § Phil. iv. 10-18. 

|| 1 Cor. vi. ; Matt, xviii. 15-17. 

f Acts xi. 22 ; xiii. 1, 2 ; xv. 1, 24; xvi. 2 ; xviii. 27. 
** Acts i. 26; vi. 5. ft Gal - »• 9 ' 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 147 

had deacons.* In the church at Philippi they had 
bishops and deacons.f These two offices are 
particularly despribed in Paul's letters to Timothy 
and Titus ; and in his address to the elders at 
Ephesus4 the character and duties of elders are 
most carefully and earnestly set forth. Peter calls 
himself an elder, and addresses other ministers, not 
as inferiors, but as fellow-elders, equals with him- 
self, before the law of Christ. § 

No other orders were recognized in the apostolic 
churches. They had no diocesan, or suffragan 
bishops, archbishops, archdeacons, deans, rectors, 
or even reverends. They were plain elders or 
overseers, and deacons, whose prerogatives as gen- 
erally defined were as follows : — 

The elders were the preachers of the Gospel, and 
the teachers of the church ; they initiated members 
by baptism ; administered the Lord's supper, and 
set apart by imposition of hands and prayer others 
duly qualified to the sacred offices of elder — either 
for the pastoral relation, or the missionary work — 
and deacon. This is, by common consent, a general 
view of ministerial prerogatives. But with reference 
to preaching, and teaching, and administering bap- 
tism and the Lord's supper, it is by no means 
clear that these were confined to elders or bishops. 
Was Philip, who preached and baptized in Samaria 
and other cities, who also preached Christ to the 
eunuch, and baptized him, an elder ?|| There is no 

* Acts xx. 17-30 ; 1 Tim. i. 3 ; iii. 1-13. f PML *• *• 

% Acts xx. 17-20. § 1 Pet. v. || Acts viii. 



148 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

evidence that he had any other ordination than 
that of deacon in the church at Jerusalem. He is 
called an " evangelist,"* but this does not prove 
that he was an elder ; it only establishes the fact 
that he published the good news. Was Ananias, 
who instructed and baptized Paul, an elder? He 
is only represented as a disciple with other disciples 
at Damascus, f Were none but elders scattered 
abroad during the persecution at Jerusalem, when 
Stephen was slain ?*| Had Stephen any other ordi- 
nation than that of deacon ? Did he not preach ?§ 
With the inspired history, its precepts and ex- 
amples before us, we dare not say that none but 
elders, regularly ordained, preached the Gospel || 
and administered the rite of baptism in the times 
of the Apostles and first Christians ; nor that, even 
without being baptized, a true believer shall not 
preach the Gospel, ^f and under some extraordinary 
circumstances baptize others.** In regard to the 
Lord's supper, there is no proof in the New Testa- 
ment that its administration was confined to the 
elders. That it was so confined can only be a 
matter of opinion. It seems proper that pastors 
should take the lead in this ordinance, as is the 
custom in nearly every society, claiming to be 
Christian. But it is equally proper and scriptural 
in the absence of a pastor, for a church to appoint 
any other brother to lead in the service ; and 

* Acts xxi. 8. -f- Acts ix. 10-19. J Acts viii. 1, 4; xi. 19. 

g Acts vi. 10; vii. ]| 1 Cor. xiv. 22-31. 

^f Whoever knows any truth, has the right to proclaim it. Mark 
ix. 38, 39 j Rev. xxii. 17. ** Matt. iii. 1-6. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 149 

churches without pastors, have no more right to 
neglect this ordinance than they have to neglect 
prayer or reading the Scriptures. 

The deacons, as the name (diakonos, waiting ser- 
vant) indicates, had the care of the poor in the 
church of which they were members, and managed 
its temporal affairs under the direction of that 
body. 

Let us quote the law which forbids every exer- 
cise of authority — for these are rather duties, and 
privileges, than power or authority. Christ, the 
King, says to the whole brotherhood, as well as to 
each local part and member of it, in distinction from 
the aristocracy and ambition of the Pharisees and 
Scribes, among the Jews : " Be not ye called 
Rabbi ; for one is your Master, even Christ ; and 
all ye are brethren. Call no man your father upon 
the earth ; for one is your Father, which is in hea- 
ven. Neither be ye called masters ; for one is your 
Master, even Christ. But he that is greatest among 
you, shall be" (not your ruler, but) " your ser- 
vant."* 

Again, in distinction from Gentile despotism, he 
says: " Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles 
exercise dominion over them, and they that are 
great exercise authority upon them. But it shall 
not be so among you ; but whosoever will be great 
among you, let him be your minister. And whoso- 
ever will be chief among you, let him be your ser- 
vant, "f Thus every thing is arranged, guarded, 

* Matt, xxiii. 8-11. f Matt. xx. 25-27. 



150 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

protected. There can be no disorder, no confusion, 
no assumption of power, no abuse of privileges, no 
aristocracy, no privileged classes, no monopolies, 
none to rule and domineer over others, in this 
Brotherhood of equals before the law of Christ. 
Each church, called by the name of its locality, had 
the care of its own affairs, without any authoritative 
interference from any other body, and each mem- 
ber his of her own duties, inalienably, to perform, 
as laid down in the law of the Brotherhood. In 
the Divine history of this organization, we do not 
read of Conferences, Assemblies, Synods, Presby- 
teries, Classes, Elderships, Councils, Conventions, 
or Associations, annual, general, or quarterly, or 
otherwise, to " transact business for the king- 
dom^) ;■" to enact laws, or canons, make confes- 
sions of faith, books of discipline, constitutions or 
liturgies, or change them ; appoint and ordain the 
ministry to the churches, and dissolve the relation ; 
decide what books shall be read, and what degree 
of learning the ministry shall have attained, and 
what shall be sung ; in a word, to regulate and con- 
trol the worship of every locality that may have 
come under their assumed jurisdiction. We do not 
read of Sessions, Vestries, Consistories, Church 
Councils, Official Boards, Boards of Deacons, or 
other authoritative, labor-saving machines for lazy 
churches or Christians. There is nothing of the kind 
in God's word. These bodies were not instituted by 
the Head, or King. The Brotherhood, as set up by 
God, does not need them. From their nature, illus- 
trated by their history, we reach the only possible 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 151 

conclusion concerning them, that they tend to as- 
sumption of power, to tyranny and oppression, and 
are promotive of division, confusion, and error, and 
the vain-glory of man, instead of the glory of God ; 
that they are exhaustive of the resources of time, and 
money,* and talents, and hinder and retard, instead 
of advance, the progress of pure Christianity in 
the world. 

We have thus, as briefly as possible, exhibited 
this great Brotherhood. It is a union of brothers, 
children of the same Parent. Its only Head the 
Lord Jesus Christ. Its only law, his Word. Its 
membership/voluntary^ believers, penitent, baptized, 
walking orderly, having equal rights and privileges 
inalienable, and all and each accountable to their 
King and Head. Thus, ascertaining what it is, by 
a comparison, we may easily learn where it is, and 
our duty in relation to it. 

It remains for us to consider, in conclusion, two 
other important and interesting characteristics. 
" The stone smote the image, and brake it in 
pieces." " This kingdom was to break in pieces 
and consume all these kingdoms." This language 
evidently sets forth the aggressive character of the 
kingdom of God. Jesus says : " I came not to 

• The travelling expenses of the delegates to the General Confer- 
ence of the Meth. Epis. Church, at Chicago, in May, 1868, were above 
fourteen thousand dollars, paid by the people, who had no other share 
in the legislating of that body : to say nothing about the travelling ex- 
penses homeward, entertainment, stationery, printing, the time con- 
sumed, and the talent employed, etc. See reports of their session in 
the daily papers of that time. 



152 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

send peace on earth, but a sword." As individuals, 
the members have a personal combat, or warfare, 
with sin, temptation, the world, the flesh, and the 
devil. As a body, it is earth's great reformer, wag- 
ing a perpetual warfare against sin and error, not 
only by direct attack, but by holding up righteous- 
ness, as antagonistic to unrighteousness, and truth, 
as antagonistic to error. But this stone is "to 
fill the whole earth." This Brotherhood is pro- 
gressive. By being aggressive, it becomes pro- 
gressive. By attacking the strongholds of the en- 
emy, they are overthrown. In conquering the vast 
army in opposition, it is subjected to Christ. To 
carry the thought further, God never designed that 
his people should all live in one place on earth. In 
Jerusalem, in the midst of their successes, when 
a delightful harmony prevailed among themselves, 
there was a leaven at work against them ; persecu- 
tion arose, Stephen was slain, and the church was 
scattered. But the wrath of man, in this, was made 
to praise God, and advance his kingdom. " They 
went everywhere preaching the Gospel." There 
are other ways in which God's designs are promoted. 
The division of churches, the division of families, 
the attractions and necessities of business, capital 
seeking investments ; these are causes and influ- 
ences constantly at work. Then there are those 
with full hearts, full of love to Jesus and the perish- 
ing multitudes of earth, whose zeal is witnessed in 
their pioneer efforts for the salvation of our sin- 
ruined race; who, with the approbation of their 
brethren, go forth and attack the enemy in his 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 153 

strongholds ; who go to the destitute and perishing 
of earth, with the glad message of peace and recon- 
ciliation. 

A church is local for local influence ; so a " Chris- 
tian's duty lies within a series of concentrate cir- 
cles." First, himself, his own eternal interests; 
then his relatives, his own home circle, till the 
entire range of his influence is filled with devout, 
earnest efforts, for the salvation of those who are 
within its power. The King and Head having 
promised to be with and bless his subjects in all 
their efforts to advance his kingdom, put forth in 
accordance with his law, they must ultimately have 
a glorious victory. This stone is thus breaking 
in pieces and destroying all adverse powers ; is 
becoming a great mountain, and is filling the whole 
earth. As this is in accordance w r ith the Word and 
Promise of God, every place and neighborhood, on 
the face of the inhabited earth, will ultimately have 
its local church ; every other kingdom destroyed — 
which must include " the children of the wicked 
one," "who shall suffer justice, eternal destruction 
from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory 
of his pow r er,"* all others will be joined in eternal 
fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ — the Univer- 
sal Brotherhood will be complete. 

The great Baptist denomination, now so nu- 
merous, and increasing so rapidly in this free land, 
and in other lands, are the only people that ap- 



* Revised Version of New Testament, American Bible Union, 2 
Thess. i. 9. 



154 INDEPENDENT OR DEMOCRATIC 

prtach, in their order, the inspired description of 
this great Brotherhood. The great and good Nean- 
der, of Berlin, Germany, recognizing them as re- 
alizing the fulfilment of the last promise of our 
Lord Jesus Christ* — because they alone fulfil the 
conditions on which it is based — said : " There is 
a future for you Baptists." Look out into that 
future, ye faithful Baptists : it may not be far : 
crowding events of the present time indicate, fore- 
shadow, important changes in the moral condition 
of our race. There, in the completion of this great 
Universal Brotherhood, you see your glorious des- 
tiny. It is your glorious future. 

Dear reader, we may ponder well this word of 
prophecy. We may expect its fulfilment. We may 
not understand it all, and may die before it?s accom- 
plishment, before the Brotherhood becomes univer- 
sal ; but let us be sure that we are in union and sym- 
pathy with its Head, sharing its privileges, and ac- 
tively co-operating with its membership, each and 
all, doing what we can to promote its universal ex- 
tension. Then the King will say: "Well done, 
good and faithful servant ; enter into the joy of thy 
Lord." 

Weigh well these closing words : "Thou art the 
Christ, the Son of the living God ;"...." and 
upon this rock I will build my church; and the 
gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it." 

" All power was given to me in heaven and on 
earth. Go ye, therefore, and disciple all the nations, 

* Matt, xxviii. 19, 20. 



CHURCH GOVERNMENT. 155 

immersing them in the name of the Father, and of 
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit ; teaching them to 
observe all things whatever I commanded you. 
And behold, I am with you alway, unto the end of 
the world. "•* 

The churches of the nineteenth century must be 
like the churches of the first century, in order to 
fulfil the mission appointed them by their Lord 
and Master. 

AMEN. 



* Math. xvi. 15, 18 ; xxviii. 18, 19. Revised version, Am. Bib. 
Union. 



' 









I 






%"* 



t. 












I 
















■ 









■■ 



I 









>J*r. 



I 



■ 






■ 
■ 

■ 

*9 ^B \fl- I ■ 






'Vwb ■ ■ 



■ 









■ 

■ 

■ 

>i ■ 













